Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to push civil servants to use AI and send AI teams into “every government department” as he pushes efficiency reforms and job cuts.
In a speech focussed on “reshaping the state” to cut down on bureaucracy, the PM showcased his fondness for AI again, describing it as a “golden opportunity” for reform.
He said: “We’re going to get the best of the best in AI working across government. I’m going to send teams into every government department with a clear mission from me to make the state more innovative and more efficient.”
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According to the government, its AI approach will be “underpinned” by a mantra that nobody’s “substantive time” should be spent on a task that could be done quicker, and to the same standard, by AI.
The AI push is part of wider plans for a “more tech-driven” public sector, with the government promising one in 10 civil servants will be working in tech and digital roles by the end of the decade.
The PM’s push also echoes recent claims by the Treasury that it was moving to a “test and learn” approach to IT spending, including on AI projects.
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Starmer’s comments will likely see AI providers jump at the chance to sign public sector contracts, but some have criticised the lack of specificity in the plan.
Jon Reay, CEO of consultancy firm Rewrite Digital, posted online: “How will all this be achieved? The government is saying they want to reduce the use of external consultants which is a good aim but they won’t get the same skilled people in house.”
How exactly the PM plans to attract the “best of the best” in AI does remain to be seen, but civil service COO Cat Little recently admitted to a public committee that government would need to offer more competitive salaries to attract top tech experts away from the private sector.
She said: “We cannot kid ourselves into thinking that people will join on the same salaries as the rest of government… We have got to pay these people more.”
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