The UK Government announces a new plan to change technology and AI use to improve public services, through new AI tool ‘Humphrey’.
The Technology Secretary has set out a plan to launch his department as the digital centre of government to overhaul digital services and target £45 billion in productivity savings every year.
‘Humphrey’, the new package of AI tools, will be available to civil servants to modernise tech and deliver better public services to set the country on course for a decade of national renewal.
This plan to transform public services will include new features like the introduction of ‘Humphrey’, new rules to streamline data, and digitalising the NHS to simplify patient services. AI will modernise job centres, and outdated systems to make workload faster and fairer.
This initiative builds on the UK’s AI opportunities action plan, positioning the country as a global AI leader with over £14 billion in investment since its launch.
Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, said: “It was especially good to hear the Secretary of State say that ‘digital inclusion will never be an afterthought’ either for him or the current government. The innovations planned appear to create more choice and simplicity for people, including those who are mobile-first and need to be able to access essential services and advice on smartphones. What will be critical is how people are supported in using these services. Critically it remains a choice not a mandated way of accessing services. It was also cheering to hear the Secretary of State explain that moving services online would free up capacity for human interactions for those offline.
“Currently the service provision for those who don’t have smartphones will stay as it is without the personalisation benefits of the app being available on laptops or other devices, and this misses particularly older people and those on the lowest incomes without even a smartphone. However, we know the new Digital Inclusion Strategy from government is coming soon and so we look forward to seeing how that will address some of these needs.”
