As part of the plan to harness the power of artificial intelligence across the country, the UK Government has unveiled a new set of AI tools dubbed ‘Humphrey’. These tools are designed to streamline public services and improve data sharing across departments.
Under the shake up, a dedicated team within the Department for Science, Technology and Innovation (DSIT) will address outdated processes in departments such as HMRC and DVLA, where large volumes of calls and letters currently result in significant delays.
It’s hoped that by focusing on modernisation, the Government can tackle inefficiencies, remove unnecessary steps – such as having to register deaths in person at local councils – and enable a more common-sense approach to data sharing.
The move to use technology to modernise Government services in the UK has been a long time coming. While we’ve previously seen successes, such as the Gov.uk website, it’s long been established that the UK Government is far behind other countries such as Estonia and Ukraine when it comes to utilising technology to streamline citizen’s access to public services.
Humphrey – the new AI for UK Gov
Much of the initial work will involve rolling out a package of AI tools, collectively referred to as ‘Humphrey’, which is named after the character from the BBC’s TV show Yes Minister, which aired in the 1980s.
Humphrey is set to support civil servants in their daily tasks. One such product is ‘Consult’, designed to analyse and summarise large numbers of public responses in official consultations more quickly and at lower cost than outsourcing. Similar technology within the Humphrey bundle will help staff sift through decades of parliamentary debates, transcribe meetings securely and generate policy summaries, amongst other tasks.
According to the Government, the reforms will include an overhaul of how digital services are delivered, aiming to boost productivity by an estimated £45 billion a year. The Department for Science, Technology and Innovation will also convene a new Technical Design Council, develop a Responsible AI Advisory Panel, and work with the Treasury on funding models that align with modern technology needs.
Going all-in on AI
This latest development follows the AI Opportunities Action Plan, which the Government says has already attracted substantial investment and aims to bolster the UK’s position in the global AI landscape. Thus far the data centre industry has reacted positively about these plans, although there are still concerns surrounding power availability and we’re still waiting to hear about major changes to planning permission.
Peter Kyle, Science Secretary, commented, “Sluggish technology has hampered our public services for too long, and it’s costing us all a fortune in time and money.
“Not to mention the headaches and stresses we’re left with after being put on hold or forced to take a trip to fill out a form.
“My department will put AI to work, speeding up our ability to deliver our Plan for Change, improve lives and drive growth.
“We will use technology to bear down hard on the nonsensical approach the public sector takes to sharing information and working together to help the people it serves.
“We will also end delays businesses face when they are applying for licenses or permits, when they just want to get on with the task in hand – growth. This is just the start.”
Liz Kendall, Work and Pensions Secretary added “Outdated technology is holding us back. Sluggish manual processes mean people don’t get the help they need quickly enough.
“That’s why we want to use the latest AI technologies to bring Jobcentres into the 21st Century, giving our brilliant staff the tools they need to offer more personalised services to jobseekers.
“But this is just one example of how AI can make our work more effective. We are committed to going further to make our services faster, fairer, and more accessible for the people who rely on us every day.”
