The UK government has the potential to improve productivity through widespread and systematic deployment of generative AI, but only if it takes steps to build expertise and develop an implementation strategy. A new study has revealed this.
Generative AI offers the potential for “massive productivity gains” for UK government workers, according to the study 'Using Artificial Intelligence in Government', but the government does not have a comprehensive strategy for AI implementation. is missing. The report was produced by the National Audit Office, an independent body of the UK Parliament that acts as a watchdog over public spending.
However, different branches of government have begun to consider the use of AI on their own, leading to fragmented adoption and a lack of a broader vision of what the technology can do within government. With most government departments (70%, according to the survey) piloting and planning for AI, the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, together with specialized departments such as the Directorate General for Artificial Intelligence Policy, is working to implement a general strategy for AI. has primary responsibility for. A use case already exists.
Meg Hillier, the MP who oversees the NAO and chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said the Cabinet Office, which is home to the government's Central Digital Data Office (CDDO), needed to take a leadership role.
“The Government has been encouraging the use of AI for several years now, and with existing AI activity and exploration across government, the Cabinet Office needs to bring together this insight and learning and share it across departments. ” she said in a statement. “[AI] It offers a huge opportunity to transform public services, but to take full advantage of this, governments need to adopt and deploy AI at scale across the public sector. ”
AI is already being deployed in many government departments, and the most common uses of AI identified by the NAO are supporting business decision-making through automated document analysis, digital assistant capabilities, and image recognition .
