Public document management: paper out, AI agents in*
For decades, modernizing Public Administration quite literally meant eliminating paper. Stacks of folders, stamps, signatures, and duplicate (and triplicate) copies were the image of a State aspiring to be lighter, more agile, more efficient, and more sustainable.
The first wave of digital transformation arrived to change this reality: paper was converted into digital files, physical procedures into electronic workflows, and filing cabinets into servers. It was a significant step forward. Dematerialization reduced printing and preservation costs, accelerated procedures, and paved the way for much faster and more practical public services for businesses and citizens alike.
But this transition did not take place only within government offices; it was reflected across society as a whole. In 1990, each European consumed, on average, between 160 and 180 kilograms of paper and cardboard per year, according to the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI). Consumption of graphic materials (newspapers, magazines, and printing paper) has fallen by more than 50% over the past two decades, reflecting a broader cultural shift toward less paper across almost all sectors, including the public sector.
With this change, something else also evolved. Digitalization ceased to be merely a matter of productivity and became a matter of responsibility. Less paper means less waste, fewer emissions, and closer alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Dematerializing processes is therefore not only a consequence of technological progress, but also an economic, environmental, and ultimately civilizational choice.
Yet the fight against paper was only the first layer of digital transformation. And like all revolutions, this one evolved quickly. Today, more than converting paper into bytes, the challenge is to transform information into knowledge. To achieve this, the next step is to equip document management systems with cognitive capabilities: enabling them to think, interpret, and act.
We are talking about systems that do more than archive, organize, or connect information from different formats or sources. They recognize patterns, automatically classify documents, verify legal compliance, and assign priorities to workflows. With the introduction of artificial intelligence, these systems give rise to so-called AI agents capable of taking it one step further: they analyze contexts, detect anomalies, and anticipate actions without relying on human commands. In a sense, they are new “invisible employees” of the State: tireless and meticulous in carrying out their tasks (provided they are properly trained).
The benefits of this evolution include, naturally, less paper, fewer errors, and less time wasted on tasks that machines perform better and faster than humans. A study by the European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE) estimates that European Union governments could save up to €450 billion per year by modernizing public services through greater use of document automation, cloud computing, and AI.
Still, the impact cannot be measured only in euros; it must also be measured in trust. With artificial intelligence integrated into these systems, every document gains a trace: it becomes clear who created it, who modified it, and why. Compliance with regulations (whether national, European, or specific to each country or region) no longer depends on manual checks; it is embedded in the system’s architecture. Transparency and compliance thus cease to be goals to pursue and become inherent properties of information.
Even so, and despite increasingly fast agents and ever more autonomous systems, people remain what gives technology its meaning. They ensure that speed does not replace judgment, and that artificial intelligence remains, at its core, a reflection (albeit far more powerful) of our own intelligence.
*This article was originally published on Sapo Tek.
Did you know…?
The Portuguese Army reduced printing and preservation costs by 40% to 50% after implementing a document management system developed with Quidgest technology. This is a clear example of how automation and AI applied to archives can deliver tangible and sustainable results.
Get in touch and discover how document management, now strengthened by the new possibilities of AI agents, can make your organization more efficient, sustainable, and ready for the future.
