AI could transform the way governments deliver public services

The UK government needs a clear strategy and an open conversation with the public in order to catch up with its global peers

A robot exhibition in Tokyo, Japan.
Japan and Singapore are at the forefront of marrying intention and action to harness the power of AI. Photograph: Alamy Stock Photo

Lauding the transformative powers of artificial intelligence (AI) has almost become a cliche, and with good reason. It permeates our everyday lives. AI manifests itself through film or music recommendations, speech recognition on our phones or face recognition in our digital photo albums. And AI has the potential to transform the way governments design and deliver public services.

Our report, published on 6 February, predicts that almost 250,000 public sector workers could lose their jobs to robots over the next 15 years.

Governments around the world have recognised the potential of AI, but in practice actual application varies widely. Japan and Singapore are at the forefront of marrying intention and action to harness the power of AI.

Japan’s prime minister sees it as a vital tool to enhance the country’s sluggish economy and Singapore views it an essential part of its plan to become a smart nation. This has translated into greater government investment in R&D, and, crucially, the creation of partnerships with the private sector and universities around the world. Singapore has partnered with Microsoft to create chatbots to deliver certain public services. Japan has partnered with universities in the US to complement their comparative lack of expertise in machine learning. Across the Atlantic, the Obama administration developed a national plan for artificial intelligence, though it is difficult to assess whether Trump’s government will action it.

National capability is a key factor in progress – demonstrated in the different specialisms of countries. Japan, for example, is mostly known for its robotics, largely driven by the government’s need to care for an increasingly ageing population. Robots, for example, are being used to assist the elderly in walking and bathing. The US retains most of the expertise in machine learning, driven by pioneering universities such as MIT and the Silicon Valley.

Like the US, the UK is well placed to harness AI through its universities and private sector, but the government’s AI strategy is less clear. This has meant piecemeal application, largely driven by the initiative of individual service providers. The use of chatbots in the London Borough of Enfield, for example, or Moorfield’s eye hospital, which partnered with Google DeepMind to use the powers of AI to increase early diagnosis of degenerative eye conditions.

One weak point for many governments is establishing a clear ethical framework for AI use. Many initiatives around the world, such as Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence in the UK, are working on solutions and plans. But partnerships with the private sector are happening right now, and current legislative frameworks are not adapting fast enough. Data protection laws in the UK favour data minimisation and purpose specification, which run contrary to the basic principles underpinning machine learning algorithms, which need big data to draw valuable insights.

Governments around the world are at different stages in the global race to harness AI. Those at the front have clear strategies, strong cross-sector partnerships and political will driving them. The UK is well placed to make the most of this ever evolving technology – but success requires a comprehensive strategy and an open conversation with the public.

Eleonora Harwich is a researcher at thinktank Reform.
