Government-built AI tool used to cut admin work for human staff
The tool, called Consult, has been used on a live consultation by the Scottish Government when it was seeking public views on how to regulate non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
The UK Government said the tool analysed responses and was able to produce results identical to human officials, and will now be used to review responses from other consultations, while also being developed further, and claimed it could help save human workers from 75,000 days of manual analysis each year, which costs around £20 million in staffing.
Some consultations receive tens or even hundreds of thousands of responses and the UK Government said the AI tool would reduce the need for human staff to review each response manually and categorise it.
Consult is part of a suite of AI tools called Humphrey – named after the senior civil servant in Yes, Minister – which the UK Government is using to speed up the work of civil servants and cut back time spent on administrative tasks and money spent on contractors.
That technology is part of wider plans announced in January by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer aimed at making the UK an AI global superpower, which also include proposals to expand the UK's AI infrastructure.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: 'No-one should be wasting time on something AI can do quicker and better, let alone wasting millions of taxpayer pounds on outsourcing such work to contractors.
'After demonstrating such promising results, Humphrey will help us cut the costs of governing and make it easier to collect and comprehensively review what experts and the public are telling us on a range of crucial issues.
'The Scottish Government has taken a bold first step. Very soon, I'll be using Consult, within Humphrey, in my own department and others in Whitehall will be using it too – speeding up our work to deliver the plan for change.'
The Government has said it hopes to make better use of technology across public services, with the aim of making around £45 billion in productivity savings.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
17 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
We will do everything we can to save Alexander Dennis jobs, vows Swinney
The company announced on Wednesday it is proposing to consolidate its UK operations at a single site in Scarborough, North Yorkshire. The decision puts 400 jobs at risk at its facility in Falkirk in another blow to the Forth Valley, which has already seen more than 400 jobs go at the Grangemouth refinery this year. Speaking at First Minister's Questions on Thursday, John Swinney said he is 'deeply concerned'. John Swinney said the Scottish Government will support jobs at Alexander Dennis (Andrew Milligan/PA) He told the chamber: 'This issue has been occupying a great deal of the focus and the attention of the Deputy First Minister and I and the UK Government ministers since we became aware of the situation over the last few weeks, and then ultimately to the decision that was announced yesterday.' He said his Government has 'supported' the manufacturer. But Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar accused Holyrood ministers of overlooking Scottish industry in favour of ordering buses from China, while pointing to the order from Alexander Dennis of around 160 vehicles by the publicly-owned network in Greater Manchester. In Scotland, public service buses are procured by private operators, who then run them on routes across the country. Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the Government has not supported Scottish industry (PA) Mr Swinney said state aid regulations – in the form of the UK-wide Subsidy Control Act – prevent the Government from directly procuring from a single supplier like Alexander Dennis. He quoted a joint letter from the UK and Scottish governments, which pledged to 'work closely with Alexander Dennis at this challenging time'. He added: 'That's us indicating that we're keen to do everything we can to find a way through the Subsidy Control Act provisions, so the Government can continue to operate within the law, which we must do, but also, we can support manufacturing in Scotland, which is my priority.' Responding, Mr Sarwar said: 'If John Swinney can't figure out a way to order buses in Scotland, I suggest he picks up the phone to (Greater Manchester Mayor) Andy Burnham and see how he managed to do it. Greater Manchester's Bee Network buses were made at Alexander Dennis (PA) 'Almost five times as many bus orders from Manchester.' Mr Sarwar's claim stems from the second phase of the Scottish Government's green bus initiative ScotZEB, which ordered 44 buses from Alexander Dennis. However, according to a press release from the time, 137 buses were ordered from the firm in the first phase, amounting to a total of 181. In a statement, Mr Burnham – who has visited the Falkirk site – said: 'Our iconic Bee Network buses are a bit of Scotland right here in Greater Manchester. 'We have over 160 Alexander Dennis buses criss-crossing our city-region every day – connecting our communities to opportunity. 'If Greater Manchester can invest in world-class Scottish bus manufacturing, then why can't the SNP Scottish Government?'
Scotsman
19 minutes ago
- Scotsman
'Sheer incompetence': John Swinney urged to cut taxes amid £1.1bn economic performance gap
The Scottish Conservatives say the First Minister should cut taxes following the Chancellor's spending review. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... John Swinney is being accused of 'sheer incompetence' and wasting billions of pounds of taxpayers' cash amid calls for tax cuts. The Scottish Fiscal Commission estimates there is an 'economic performance gap' between Scotland and the rest of the UK of £1.1 billion this year alone. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said the SNP's 'anti-business policies are costing a fortune'. First Minister John Swinney | Press Association At First Minister's Questions on Thursday, Mr Findlay said: 'SNP tax rises should result in £1.7bn more to spend, but because the SNP economy lags behind the UK, the Scottish Fiscal Commission says there is only £600 million more to spend. 'So under the SNP, there is a £1.1bn economic performance gap, and that's just this year - last year it was another £1bn, and over the last 10 years the economic performance gap with the rest of the UK adds up to £5.4bn. 'Does John Swinney now realise the anti-business SNP policies are costing Scotland a fortune?' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Swinney said: 'The important point to consider here is the extra revenue raised from the tax decisions we've taken has enabled us to invest in public services. 'One example is the more significant provision of early learning and childcare and the Scottish Child Payment which is helping to keep children out of poverty.' He added GDP per capita in Scotland is higher in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK, and has grown by 10.3 per cent since the SNP came to power in 2007 compared to 6.1 per cent for the UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He also said the Scottish Government is 'business friendly', which prompted laughter from the opposition parties in the chamber. The Scottish Conservatives also urged the First Minister to use the extra cash coming the Scottish Government's way on the back of Chancellor Rachel Reeves's spending review to commit to a tax break. Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay | Jane Barlow/Press Association On Wednesday the Chancellor announced the Scottish Government's budget will rise by £2.9bn a year, meaning the block grant from the Treasury will rise to £52bn by 2029. The Chancellor said this is the 'largest settlement in real terms since devolution was introduced'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Findlay said: 'The SNP is wasting money on an industrial scale, and unbelievably Labour looked at the SNP's record and decided to copy them. 'The spending review signals a return to tax and spend - Rachel Reeves is shafting businesses, workers, farmers and oil and gas. 'John Swinney has enough money now to give Scots a tax break and bring down the burden on Scottish workers and families.' The First Minister did not commit to a tax cut, instead taking the opportunity to criticise the UK Labour government's decision to increase employer National Insurance contributions.
Scottish Sun
20 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Britain is our enemy number one, Russians say as new poll puts UK above even Ukraine as Moscow's top foe
BRITAIN has been declared as Russia's biggest national threat - even beating out Ukraine and the United States. A bombshell survey revealed that more than a quarter of Putin's Russia saw the UK as their most formidable opponent on the world stage. 7 Putin's state TV mocked the UK after it was declared public enemy number one Credit: East2West 7 The UK and Keir Starmer have been declared as Russia's arch nemesis Credit: Getty 7 A survey taken by a pro-Putin agency showed that more than a quarter of the public saw the UK as their top opponent Credit: AP 7 The UK has been dubbed one of Ukraine's toughest allies throughout Putin's horror invasion Credit: AP Some 28 per cent of Russians named Britain as their number one sworn enemy, ahead of Germany on 25 per cent, the US on 24 per cent and France on 23 per cent. Bizarrely, Ukraine - which Moscow has been at war with for over three years - was seen as the prime foe by only 22 per cent of the public. The shocking poll was unveiled on Russia Day, June 12, which marks the country's separation from the dissolving Soviet Union 35 years ago. The new rating for the UK comes from a pro-Kremlin polling agency called INSOMAR. It is the latest in a long history of jabs taken at Britain by Putin's propaganda machine, which has consistently branded the UK as one Ukraine's staunchest allies since Russia's 2022 invasion. In one recent broadcast on Russian state television, leading Putin mouthpiece Vladimir Solovyov said: 'I can't understand why the British have gone mad [with the new UK defence review]. 'Where do they want to clash with us? He rambled on: "Do they think that we have already landed, entered the Thames somewhere and are now storming Westminster Abbey?" Solovyov made the baseless claim that the UK had staged clandestine undercover operations against Russia. The Putin yes-man said: "Actually, the attack on Russia's cyber security system was carried out by the British. New footage of Op Spiderweb shows drone blitzing Putin's burning aircraft "Then, let me remind you that the water threat [to Russia] came from the British, when they were trying to figure out who Crimea belonged to. He also claimed that British reconnaissance aircraft were "flying through our airspace". Solovyov - who is decorated by Putin for his work as a propagandist - also said: 'Most importantly, I would like to say something separately to Starmer.' He said in a mocking English accent: 'Scottish people, you have to fight for your independence.' Reverting to Russian, he told viewers across his country's 11 time zones: 'Scottish brothers, you must fight for your independence. Right? "These English colonisers have no business on Scottish soil." Another propagandist named Andrey Sidorov then suggested the Welsh should "break free" too. Sidorov has frequently advocated using the untested Russian Poseidon unmanned submarine to sink Britain under a tidal wave. 7 Leading Putin TV propagandists made threats to the UK following the poll Credit: East2West 7 Leading Putin TV propagandist Vladimir Solovyov [R] pictured with Vladimir Putin Credit: East2West 7 Firefighters work on a fire after a Russian drone attack on Kharkiv, June 12 Credit: Getty He mocked Starmer who "has never served in the army". The talking head jibed: "He had no basic military training at school." Sir Keir Starmer's new Strategic Defence Review pledged to launch 12 nuclear subs and commit billions more in nuclear warhead investment among other promises, as a response Putin's growing threat in Europe. The Prime Minister put the UK on a war footing earlier this month as he ordered the biggest investment in the production of guns and bombs since the Cold War. Writing in The Sun on Sunday, Sir Keir said Britain was facing a 'more dangerous world' and the time has come to 'transform how we defend these islands'. The declaration of the UK as Russia's main enemy also came as Putin's state media announced that the US would be competing in its rip-off Eurovision song contest. Bitter tyrant Putin announced the revival of the Soviet answer to Eurovision in February this year.
