AI could be the key to unlocking a more efficient UK public sector
Public services in the UK are facing tough times with tight budgets, not enough staff, and ever-growing waiting lists. But could AI be the answer to these challenges?
Today, at the Google Cloud Public Sector Summit UK in London, government officials, tech gurus, and industry partners are coming together to discuss how AI, cybersecurity, and data analytics could transform the UK public sector.
A new study by Public First, funded by Google Cloud, shows how AI might change the game in areas like healthcare and policing. The report, titled "AI and the Public Sector," surveyed 415 UK public sector workers and found that automation and generative AI could boost productivity, potentially saving up to £38 billion annually by 2030.
Here's what the report found:
- Boosting productivity: AI could take over about a third of daily public sector tasks, like managing records and processing data. This would free up time for employees to focus on more important work.
- Improving service quality: By making administrative tasks easier and more efficient, AI could help deliver better and quicker services to the public. Public sector workers believe that efficiency and automating repetitive tasks are the biggest reasons to use AI.
- Transforming key services: AI could have a big impact on essential services like policing and healthcare. For instance, using AI for admin work could be like adding over 160,000 police officers and could make room for 3.7 million more GP appointments each week. This would help ease the strain on these services.
The research shows that while many public sector workers see the potential of AI, they're still at the beginning of using it. Two-thirds of public administration managers think AI will change how the public sector works forever, but only 12% have really started using AI tools.
Even though they're open to AI, worries about data security and legal issues are holding them back. The report says it's important to tackle these concerns and train public sector workers to use AI properly. Building trust and being open about how AI is used is key to making it work in the UK public sector.
The report calls on the government, public sector organizations, and tech companies to work together and focus on:
- Upskilling the workforce: Only about a third (34%) of public administration managers feel their staff have the skills needed for AI. They need to train public sector employees to use AI tools effectively.
- Addressing data concerns: 55% of public administration managers said they'd need better or differently structured data to make the most of AI. They need strong data security and clear rules on legal responsibilities to build trust and use AI responsibly.
- Maintaining transparency: 60% of public administration managers said legal or regulatory issues make them cautious about using AI more. They need to be open about how AI is used to build public trust and understanding.
Want to dive deeper? You can check out the full report [here](link to the report).
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Comments (45)
0/200
![JustinAnderson]()
JustinAnderson
April 9, 2025 at 12:00:00 AM GMT
AI in the UK public sector? Sounds promising but I'm skeptical. It's great they're trying to tackle budget issues and staff shortages, but will it really make a dent in those endless waiting lists? I'll believe it when I see it. Maybe it'll surprise me, who knows?
0
![EllaJohnson]()
EllaJohnson
April 10, 2025 at 12:00:00 AM GMT
イギリスの公共部門にAIを導入するのは興味深いですが、懐疑的です。予算問題や人手不足を解決しようとしているのは素晴らしいですが、本当に待ち時間を短縮できるのでしょうか？実際に効果が出るのを見るまでは信じられません。驚かされるかもしれませんね。
0
![TerryRoberts]()
TerryRoberts
April 10, 2025 at 12:00:00 AM GMT
영국 공공 부문에 AI를 도입한다고? 기대는 되지만 회의적이에요. 예산 문제와 인력 부족을 해결하려는 노력은 훌륭하지만, 정말로 기다림을 줄일 수 있을까요? 실제로 효과가 나타날 때까지는 믿기 어려워요. 놀랄 수도 있겠죠.
0
![StevenMartínez]()
StevenMartínez
April 9, 2025 at 12:00:00 AM GMT
AI no setor público do Reino Unido? Parece promissor, mas estou cético. É ótimo que estejam tentando resolver problemas de orçamento e falta de pessoal, mas será que realmente vai reduzir essas listas de espera intermináveis? Vou acreditar quando ver. Talvez me surpreenda, quem sabe?
0
![RoyYoung]()
RoyYoung
April 8, 2025 at 12:00:00 AM GMT
¿IA en el sector público del Reino Unido? Suena prometedor pero soy escéptico. Es genial que intenten abordar los problemas de presupuesto y la escasez de personal, pero ¿realmente hará mella en esas listas de espera interminables? Lo creeré cuando lo vea. Tal vez me sorprenda, ¿quién sabe?
0
![ChristopherBrown]()
ChristopherBrown
April 9, 2025 at 12:00:00 AM GMT
AI in the UK public sector? Sounds promising but I'm skeptical. It's great they're trying to tackle budget issues and staff shortages, but will it really make a difference? I've seen too many tech solutions that don't live up to the hype. Hope this one proves me wrong!
0
Public services in the UK are facing tough times with tight budgets, not enough staff, and ever-growing waiting lists. But could AI be the answer to these challenges?
Today, at the Google Cloud Public Sector Summit UK in London, government officials, tech gurus, and industry partners are coming together to discuss how AI, cybersecurity, and data analytics could transform the UK public sector.
A new study by Public First, funded by Google Cloud, shows how AI might change the game in areas like healthcare and policing. The report, titled "AI and the Public Sector," surveyed 415 UK public sector workers and found that automation and generative AI could boost productivity, potentially saving up to £38 billion annually by 2030.
Here's what the report found:
- Boosting productivity: AI could take over about a third of daily public sector tasks, like managing records and processing data. This would free up time for employees to focus on more important work.
- Improving service quality: By making administrative tasks easier and more efficient, AI could help deliver better and quicker services to the public. Public sector workers believe that efficiency and automating repetitive tasks are the biggest reasons to use AI.
- Transforming key services: AI could have a big impact on essential services like policing and healthcare. For instance, using AI for admin work could be like adding over 160,000 police officers and could make room for 3.7 million more GP appointments each week. This would help ease the strain on these services.
The research shows that while many public sector workers see the potential of AI, they're still at the beginning of using it. Two-thirds of public administration managers think AI will change how the public sector works forever, but only 12% have really started using AI tools.
Even though they're open to AI, worries about data security and legal issues are holding them back. The report says it's important to tackle these concerns and train public sector workers to use AI properly. Building trust and being open about how AI is used is key to making it work in the UK public sector.
The report calls on the government, public sector organizations, and tech companies to work together and focus on:
- Upskilling the workforce: Only about a third (34%) of public administration managers feel their staff have the skills needed for AI. They need to train public sector employees to use AI tools effectively.
- Addressing data concerns: 55% of public administration managers said they'd need better or differently structured data to make the most of AI. They need strong data security and clear rules on legal responsibilities to build trust and use AI responsibly.
- Maintaining transparency: 60% of public administration managers said legal or regulatory issues make them cautious about using AI more. They need to be open about how AI is used to build public trust and understanding.
Want to dive deeper? You can check out the full report [here](link to the report).
Billionaires Discuss Automating Jobs Away in This Week's AI Update
Hey everyone, welcome back to TechCrunch's AI newsletter! If you're not already subscribed, you can sign up here to get it delivered straight to your inbox every Wednesday.We took a little break last week, but for good reason—the AI news cycle was on fire, thanks in large part to the sudden surge of
NotebookLM App Launches: AI-Powered Tool for Instant Knowledge Access Anywhere
NotebookLM Goes Mobile: Your AI-Powered Research Assistant Now on Android & iOSWe’ve been blown away by the response to NotebookLM—millions of users have embraced it as their go-to
Google’s AI Futures Fund may have to tread carefully
Google’s New AI Investment Initiative: A Strategic Shift Amid Regulatory ScrutinyGoogle's recent announcement of an AI Futures Fund marks a bold move in the tech giant's ongoing qu
April 9, 2025 at 12:00:00 AM GMT
AI in the UK public sector? Sounds promising but I'm skeptical. It's great they're trying to tackle budget issues and staff shortages, but will it really make a dent in those endless waiting lists? I'll believe it when I see it. Maybe it'll surprise me, who knows?
0
April 10, 2025 at 12:00:00 AM GMT
イギリスの公共部門にAIを導入するのは興味深いですが、懐疑的です。予算問題や人手不足を解決しようとしているのは素晴らしいですが、本当に待ち時間を短縮できるのでしょうか？実際に効果が出るのを見るまでは信じられません。驚かされるかもしれませんね。
0
April 10, 2025 at 12:00:00 AM GMT
영국 공공 부문에 AI를 도입한다고? 기대는 되지만 회의적이에요. 예산 문제와 인력 부족을 해결하려는 노력은 훌륭하지만, 정말로 기다림을 줄일 수 있을까요? 실제로 효과가 나타날 때까지는 믿기 어려워요. 놀랄 수도 있겠죠.
0
April 9, 2025 at 12:00:00 AM GMT
AI no setor público do Reino Unido? Parece promissor, mas estou cético. É ótimo que estejam tentando resolver problemas de orçamento e falta de pessoal, mas será que realmente vai reduzir essas listas de espera intermináveis? Vou acreditar quando ver. Talvez me surpreenda, quem sabe?
0
April 8, 2025 at 12:00:00 AM GMT
¿IA en el sector público del Reino Unido? Suena prometedor pero soy escéptico. Es genial que intenten abordar los problemas de presupuesto y la escasez de personal, pero ¿realmente hará mella en esas listas de espera interminables? Lo creeré cuando lo vea. Tal vez me sorprenda, ¿quién sabe?
0
April 9, 2025 at 12:00:00 AM GMT
AI in the UK public sector? Sounds promising but I'm skeptical. It's great they're trying to tackle budget issues and staff shortages, but will it really make a difference? I've seen too many tech solutions that don't live up to the hype. Hope this one proves me wrong!
0
