AI's role in shaping Government services

In an era where technology shapes every aspect of our lives, how is the UK Government harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to revolutionise public services in a secure and responsible way?  

Since 2021, amidst heightened scrutiny, the government has embarked on a transformative AI journey, steering towards a future where AI not only drives innovation but also ensures public trust and safety. Some of these initiatives include:  

National AI Strategy: focuses on leveraging AI to enhance resilience, productivity, growth, and innovation. Aiming to position the UK as a global AI leader and ensure continued research, development, commercialisation, and deployment of AI. 

AI Action Plan: details the activities undertaken by each government department to advance the National AI Strategy.  

Pro-Innovation Regulatory Framework: emphasises five cross-cutting principles: (1) safety, security, and robustness of AI systems; (2) appropriate transparency and explainability; (3) fairness; (4) accountability and governance; and (5) contestability and redress. The government's approach emphasises driving growth, increasing public trust in AI, and strengthening the UK's global leadership in AI. 

AI Safety Summit: aims to facilitate an international dialogue on managing AI risks, collaboration on AI safety, research, and ensuring AI development aligns with public safety and global stability. 

2022-25 Roadmap for Digital and Data: a comprehensive plan to enhance digital and data usage across government departments by 2025. This roadmap aims to harness digital technologies and data for more effective governance, security, sustainability, service delivery, and decision-making. 

Data Protection and Digital Information Bill: seeks to transform the UK’s data laws, supporting innovation in technologies, like AI, while maintaining high standards of privacy and personal data protection. 

These initiatives indicate the UK’s commitment to leveraging AI for good, while balancing ethical and security considerations. If harnessed appropriately, AI deployments across government will bring a shift towards more proactive, responsive, and citizen-centric service models. There are already a few trailblazers (DVSA, HMLR, DSTL) and adoption continues to gain momentum – but what else can Government be looking towards? 

In exploring the use of AI across government, I have highlighted four key themes where I believe AI holds significant promise. While not an exhaustive list, these themes exemplify how AI can transform services, enhance decision-making, and positively transform staff and citizen experiences. 

1. Predictive Services 

Advanced analytics is transforming problem-solving across sectors: 

• Workforce Optimisation: Predicting peak operating hours or ensuring optimal staffing levels. 
• Predictive Maintenance: Anticipating equipment failures to prevent service disruption. 
• Health and Social Services: Proactive planning for supply, demand, and interventions. 
• Financial Planning: Informed cost-benefit analysis guides policy and service improvements. 
• Fraud Prevention: Anomaly detection safeguards against tax evasion and benefit fraud. 

3. Preventative Services  

Governments have the capability to model events or scenarios such as disease outbreaks or natural disasters. Doing so could help government understand the ripple these events will have on the future demand for services.   

• Prepare for natural disasters: use data to predict and optimise the services they provide e.g., using historical flood data government could identify flood-prone areas.  
• Digital twins: infrastructure management and city planning, governments could use digital twin technologies to anticipate events or accelerate decision-making.  

4. Efficient Services

AI-based process improvements have already helped departments increase the efficiency of operations and processes.  Other areas could include:  

• Public Policy: availability of quality data could help inform and influence government officials e.g., new or amendments to existing policies and legislation.   

• Victim and offender management: identifying offenders and victims of crime, from modern slavery to hate speech and radicalisation, policymakers could measure the scale and scope of the problems and build countermeasures sooner.  
• Health and Social Services: being able to flag high priority cases, within the relevant agencies, will enable them to prioritise caseloads and provide targeted support  
• Education: pinpoint children likely to drop out of school, or be deemed ‘at risk,’ allowing authorities to reprioritise staff and identify interventions.   

The potential extends beyond these areas, but these themes offer a glimpse into the impact AI can have in making governmental processes more efficient and life for the citizens safer and easier. 

Exploring the potential of AI  

The strategies and initiatives outlined are a step in the right direction, government departments should now look to formalise how they are embedded into delivery so privacy, security, ethical and regulations are considered and mitigated upfront. In addition to investing in the technology, they should look into investing in the skills required to deliver, maintain, and enhance services.  

The benefits of AI are quickly being realised; however, some government departments are yet to capitalise on the potential AI offers. There is a plethora of use cases across government, their payoffs go well beyond cutting costs. AI is not here to just automate our administrative problems, AI has the potential to significantly reshape how we work, provide better experiences, and create value and opportunities for the economy.