The UK Government has followed its promise to “unleash” AI across the UK with the unveiling of a series of AI assistants designed to “streamline public services”.

Dubbed “Humphrey” after the fictional Whitehall official from the BBC sitcom Yes, Minister, government workers will soon have access to a suite of tools powered by artificial intelligence.

The government says that the assistants will improve public services, modernise tech and save the taxpayer money by replacing cash that would have been spent on consultants.

On the tools, Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), stated: “Sluggish technology has hampered our public services for too long, and it’s costing us all a fortune in time and money.

“My department will put AI to work, speeding up our ability to deliver our Plan for Change, improve lives and drive growth. 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.”

A suite of generative AI tools

On the whole, the tools will leverage generative AI to improve efficiency by taking large amounts of information and summarising it into a more digestible format.

Among them is Consult, designed to analyse responses to government consultations in a matter of hours. Currently, this process is completed by external consultants that the government says bill the taxpayer “around “£100,000” every time.

Additionally, Parlex will help policymakers search through and analyse debates from the Houses of Parliament, Redbox will prepare briefings and Lex will help officials research the law.

The DSIT is targeting up to £45bn in productivity savings each year through the “overhaul” of digital services and the reduction of “antiquated processes” – such as queuing at a local council to register a death or posting an advert in the local paper to get a lorry driving licence.

The DSIT also wants to improve how the government spends money on technology. It says that the government spends £23bn each year on technology and it aims to redeploy that money in a way that “recognises how modern technology works”.

Plan for Change

These tools are being announced following the government’s commitment to implement all 50 measures recommended by AI Advisor Matt Clifford in his AI Opportunity’s Action plan.

Headlining the government’s plans is the creation of dedicated AI Growth Zones designed to speed up planning for AI infrastructure, as well as investment in a new supercomputer to boost computing power and a National Data Library to “safely and securely unlock the value of public data and support AI development”.

In a speech delivered earlier this month, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the measures will “create the companies of the future”.

He stated: “The AI industry needs a government that is on their side, one that won’t sit back and let opportunities slip through its fingers.

“In a world of fierce competition, we cannot stand by. We must move fast and take action to win the global race. Our plan will make Britain the world leader.”