This week, a Dragons’ Den-style event will take place, where tech companies will have the opportunity to present ideas for increasing automation in the British justice system. This event is one of many examples of the Labour government’s efforts to utilize artificial intelligence and data science to both save money and enhance public services.
Despite criticism that the government is overly optimistic about AI, the Department of Health and Social Care recently announced an AI-based early alert system for detecting unreliable maternity services following a series of scandals. Furthermore, Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated his ambition to have robots perform one in eight operations within the next decade.
AI is currently being utilized to prioritize actions on the 25,000 pieces of daily correspondence received by the Department for Work and Pensions, as well as to identify potential fraud and errors in benefit claims. Additionally, ministers have access to an AI tool that provides a “vibe check” on parliamentary sentiment, assisting them in assessing the political risks of policy proposals.
Repeatedly, ministers are turning to technology to address pressing crises that may have previously been resolved by hiring more staff or investing additional funds.
The Labour government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Secretary of State for Science and Technology Peter Kyle, has embraced a policy of digitizing government, bringing them into close contact with major US tech companies. Google, Microsoft, Palantir, IBM, and Amazon all participated in a Ministry of Justice roundtable discussion last month. Many countries, including Singapore and Estonia, are also increasingly adopting AI in public service delivery.
Jeegar Kakkad, a director at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, argues for greater use of technology, stating: “Our systems are broken, and cannot keep up with demand. We have two options: continue to try and fix a broken system using traditional approaches or utilize technology.” Kakkad emphasizes the importance of having control over the design of these systems and implementing rules to ensure their effectiveness.
Kyle recently emphasized the government’s commitment to enabling big tech firms to thrive in Britain. At London Tech Week last month, he addressed executives, highlighting regulation and planning policies designed to support their businesses. The UK public sector’s reliance on tech has grown, with the value of tech contracts reaching £19.6bn in 2022, up from £14.4bn in 2019.
However, introducing AI and automation into public services carries more risks than using technology for navigation or music recommendations. Citizens often interact with public services during vulnerable moments, such as when applying for welfare benefits. A recent poll found that 59% of the public were concerned about the use of AI in assessing eligibility for welfare benefits, compared to 39% concerned about facial recognition technology in policing.
The poll also revealed public skepticism about the motivations of private technology companies. The public trusts government bodies less than academia and non-profit organizations. The Ada Lovelace Institute recommended a review of the role of technology companies in shaping policy and media narratives on the benefits of public sector AI, as well as the effectiveness of measures to address conflicts of interest and “revolving door” dynamics between the government and the technology sector.
The institute stressed the need for transparency and prioritization of people’s needs above profit in the development and implementation of public sector AI.
