The Agentic State is a bold new vision paper arguing that AI agents could transform how governments operate faster than any previous technology. In this episode, I explore what an agentic state actually means in practice, from Estonia’s legislative AI tools to Ukraine’s national AI agent, and what it signals for countries like Ireland.
What Is an Agentic State?
Start with the basics. An AI agent is software that can assess a situation, reason through a task, and take action — within boundaries set by people. A chatbot tells you how to renew a licence. An agent helps you complete the renewal. Scale that thinking across government, and you have an agentic state.
The paper, launched at the Tallinn Digital Summit on 9 October 2025, was led by Luukas Ilves, Estonia’s former Government Chief Information Officer, and brings together more than 20 digital government leaders from 15 countries. Former US Deputy CTO Jennifer Pahlka calls it “required reading for policymakers and advocates in all domains.”
The 12 Layers of an Agentic State
The paper maps out 12 layers — six where agents do visible work, and six foundational layers that make it all possible.
The delivery layers include:
- Public-service design
- Government workflows
- Policymaking
- Regulatory compliance
- Crisis response
- Procurement
The foundations include governance and accountability, data and privacy, cybersecurity, technology infrastructure, public finance, and — critically — people and culture.
The core argument? AI agents do not fix poor public administration by themselves. Add AI to a broken workflow and you risk creating a faster version of the same broken workflow.
From Vision to Practice: Ukraine’s Diia.AI
This is already moving beyond theory. In September 2025, Ukraine launched Diia.AI in open beta — described as the world’s first national AI agent delivering public services through a chat interface. A citizen can request an income certificate and receive it directly through the Diia portal. It uses Google’s Gemini 2.0 Flash model, with state-registry data kept separate from the cloud model.
The paper also sets ambitious targets linked to Estonia and Ukraine: completing most digital services in one minute, launching new services in one day, and resolving 95% of single-interaction requests without human intervention. These are targets, not today’s universal reality — but they show the direction of travel clearly.
My Favourite Example: Estonia’s Legislative AI Tool
I have to share this one because it’s such a perfect illustration of where AI adds real value. A missing word in a gambling-tax amendment accidentally excluded online games of chance from the intended tax regime — estimated at around €2 million per month in lost revenue.
Ilves tested the text using Claude and Gemini, and both models flagged the inconsistency. He then built Apsakaleidja, a beta tool that scans draft bills submitted to Estonia’s parliament, flagging missing references and unintended effects before legislation progresses. It’s not replacing lawyers or civil servants. It’s an early-warning system — and that might be one of AI’s most valuable roles in government.
What This Means for Ireland
In February 2026, Ireland published its new Digital and AI Strategy with 90 deliverables, targeting 100% of key public services digitalised by 2030, with 90% consumed online. That matters and it’s genuinely welcome progress.
But The Agentic State exposes the next question. Digitising a form is one stage. The next stage is designing services around outcomes — where AI safely helps citizens complete tasks and access entitlements, while public servants remain accountable for the high-stakes decisions.
Ireland is building the digital state. Estonia and Ukraine are setting out ambitious visions for an agentic one. The question is how quickly Ireland can bridge that gap — responsibly, transparently, and with the public’s trust.
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Sources
The Agentic State: Vision paper on how AI agents could transform government. https://agenticstate.org/
Agentic State Projects: Implementation roadmaps and government programmes. https://agenticstate.org/projects.html
Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Diia.AI op-ed by Mykhailo Fedorov: Overview of the world’s first national AI agent for public services. https://digitalstate.gov.ua/news/govtech/diiaai-pershyy-u-sviti-derzavnyy-ai-ahent-iakyy-ne-prosto-konsultuye-a-nadaye-posluhy-iak-pratsiuye-shtuchnyy-intelekt-na-portali
Government of Ireland, Digital Ireland Strategy: Press release on 90 actions to strengthen Ireland’s position as a digital and AI hub. https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-the-taoiseach/press-releases/government-publishes-new-digital-ai-strategy-90-actions-to-strengthen-irelands-position-as-a-digital-leader-and-ai-hub/
Key Statistics
– The Agentic State paper was launched on 9 October 2025 at the Tallinn Digital Summit in Estonia.
– The paper brings together more than 20 digital government leaders from 15 countries.
– Ukraine launched Diia.AI in open beta in September 2025, described as the world’s first national AI agent for public services.
– A missing word in an Estonian gambling-tax amendment was estimated to cost around €2 million per month in lost revenue.
– Ireland’s Digital and AI Strategy targets 100% of key public services digitalised by 2030, with 90% consumed online.
– The paper’s autonomy scale runs to Level 5, but most working government systems today operate at Levels 2 and 3.
About the Podcast Host
AI and Communications Specialist | Author | Podcaster | International Speaker
Joanne Sweeney is a recognised leader in digital marketing and digital transformation, specialising in the practical application of AI to enhance communication strategies. The founder of Digital Training Institute, Joanne, empowers leaders and communications professionals to leverage AI responsibly and effectively, ensuring transparency, trust, and tangible results.
She completed the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Programme in AI and Public Policy this summer before launching her fourth book AI Playbook, in September. Joanne has also published two editions of Public Sector Marketing Pro, which were preceded by her first title, Social Media Under Investigation Law Enforcement and the Social Web.
Her books have become go-to resources for governments, public sector and policing agencies, as well as marketing and communications professionals, all navigating the challenges of the changing Internet.
Joanne is the host of the AI SIX Podcast, a daily six-minute podcast that provides actionable insights, expert interviews, and practical advice to help professionals navigate the new world of work.
