Proposals to turn the UK into an AI ‘superpower’ will only be achievable if supported by broader investment in public sector technology.

Sir Keir Starmer’s proposals to turn the UK into an AI ‘superpower’ to help grow the economy will only be achievable if they are supported by broader investment in public sector technology infrastructure as a whole. That’s according to Scott Logic.

The specialist software consultancy’s CEO, Stephen Foreshew-Cain, commented on the plans. “We know the Government is looking to improve productivity, and 2025 must be the year when technology is more effectively leveraged to help the public sector do more, with less. AI naturally forms a core part of that aim, and by making the right strategic investments and taking a positive stance towards regulation and the use of data, it can be utilised to make the UK a more efficient and productive nation."

“However, the plans to integrate AI and reap the benefits in areas like expedited planning consultations, and reduced bureaucratic burdens for medical specialists, will only be achievable if additional investments are made in fixing the foundations such as increasing capacity, improving capability and reinforcing a culture of user-entered design with a test-and-learn mindset."

"The real potential of AI to improve productivity is as yet unproven, but addressing these structural issues, which limit innovation within the Civil Service, will open the potential to address the significant technology barriers, such as the underlying architectures and infrastructure across the public sector. We know that many organisations are built on tech platforms that are up to four decades old, and they don’t provide an effective foundation for more modern, AI-based systems to thrive. In order to offer AI-backed services that add value and boost efficiency, and to support broader transformation efforts, leaders within these organisations should be empowered to break down silos and make the necessary investment decisions."

"While the scale of tackling these challenges may seem significant, the savings in efficiencies and productivity they provide, combined with the opportunity to more effectively leverage AI to its full potential, is worth any short-term pain. We also can’t ignore the fact that only investing in certain areas of the public sector will simply serve to separate core departments that should be working together. If the systems used in some parts of the Service are unable to communicate or integrate with those in others, then the process is still inefficient."

"We can only tap into the full potential of AI technologies when they are implemented as part of services that are designed for their users end to end, and not to reflect the organisational structure of Government.”