The UK public sector is not ready to implement the AI and digital transformation schemes championed by the government, according to new research.
Though Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Tech Secretary Peter Kyle have made bold claims about the transformative power of AI on public services and the billions that can be saved, a new report from analysts Cavell Group and 8×8 Inc have found neither the Civil Service nor the public are ready for the leap.
The report found that 74% of workers in sectors including healthcare, education, local government and housing, have been tasked with increasing AI integration over the next five years and around half (47%) expect further policies encouraging the use of AI to come within a short period.
Ambition may be high but, according to the report, the costs associated with implementing digital transformation, including training, onboarding new processes and communicating service changes with the public mean many cash poor local authorities will struggle to meet the technological demands from Westminster.
Furthermore, there is a consistent issue of fragmentation when it comes to the technologies used in the public sector. Of the organisations included in the research, 31% complained of the challenge of staff using multiple, disconnected platforms.
Meanwhile, growing concerns over data security, made worse by recent high-profile breaches in the retail sector, have made organisations cautious about rushed implementation of new systems.
“Public sector organizations are telling us they’re at a critical turning point,” said Joe McStravick, VP of EMEA sales at 8×8 Inc.
“There’s a clear appetite to improve citizen services as expectations around AI, data, and omnichannel engagement delivery increase. But for many, delivery of the tools, and training on their use, is not keeping pace – and that’s often down to budgets.”
Not only will the shift to AI processes be harder than expected, but the research also found there is not much appetite from the public for them in the first place.
The report found that most citizen communications with public services still happen over the phone, face-to-face or over email.
The new findings follow a report from the Public Accounts Committee which claimed that AI integration plans are unrealistic due to “out of date” technology and “poor quality” data.
The hurdles may be vast, but the government seems to remain keen to push forward. A new AI tool to respond to public consultations is currently being trialled and this week identity verification companies were called on to support the development and rollout of digital IDs.
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