One of the artificial intelligence tools will enable civil servants to analyse thousands of responses to any government consultation within hours, the government said
Artificial intelligence tools dubbed “Humphrey” will soon be rolled out across Whitehall to speed up the work of government.
Named after the fictional character Sir Humphrey Appleby in the 1980s BBC sitcom ‘Yes Minister’ the tools will soon be made available to all civil servants.
The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology said it could save services up to £45billion by speeding up work and cutting back on consultant spending.
One of the tools – Consult – will enable civil servants to analyse thousands of responses to any government consultation within hours, the government said. Under the existing system the process is outsourced – costing the taxpayer £10,000 each time – and takes months to bring together responses.
It will also include a tool to help civil servants search through decades of Commons debates and help them with day-to-day tasks including preparing briefings.
The government said a recent review found “a dire system which over relies on ways of communicating thats should be left in the last century”. Science Secretary Peter Kyle is also expected to unveil plans for digital driving licences that would be accessed through a Government app.
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Mr Kyle said: “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.”
Mr Kyle said the AI tools will speed up the delivery of Keir Starmer’s ‘Plan for Change’ set out to the country at the end of 2024.
He added: “We will use technology to bear down hard to 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.”
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said the government also wants to use AI tools to bring JobCentres “into the 21st century” and offer a more personalised service.
She added: “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.”
