This paper presents a study of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the Norwegian public sector. The study focused particularly on projects involving personal data, which adds a risk of discriminating against individuals and social groups. The study included a survey of 200 public sector organizations and 19 interviews with representatives for AI projects involving personal data. The findings suggest that AI development in the public sector is still immature, and few projects involving personal data have reached the stage of production. Political pressure to use AI in the sector is significant. Limited knowledge and focus on AI development among managements has made individuals and units with the resources and interest in experimenting with AI an important driving force. The study found that the journey from idea to production of AI in the public sector presents many challenges, which often leads to projects being temporarily halted or terminated. While AI can contribute to the streamlining and improvement of public services, it also involves risks and challenges, including the risk of producing incorrect or discriminatory results affecting individuals and groups when personal data is involved. The risk of discrimination was, however, not a significant concern in the public sector AI projects. Instead, other concepts such as ethics, fairness, and transparency took precedence in most of the project surveyed here.