Councils ‘could save households £325 a year using AI'
Deploying AI in local government could improve productivity, saving the taxpayer at least £8 billion across England and Wales.
A report by the institute said AI could be used to clear backlogs across public services and ensure that potholes were fixed more quickly.
The study comes a week after another report by the Tony Blair Institute into net zero caused rows in the Labour Party.
The former prime minister warned that plans to phase out fossil fuels were doomed to failure, but later had to row back after Downing Street intervened.
The latest report, Governing in the Age of AI: Reimagining Local Government, is likely to be far less controversial.
Alexander Iosad, the TBI's director of government innovation policy, said: 'Local government has shown in the past how it can be an engine of change but is at risk of sputtering. To keep it moving forward, it's critical that they seize this moment.
'By embracing new, AI-enabled tools, local government can deliver a real sense of hope and momentum for citizens who depend on it day-to-day.
'We can clear the backlogs in social services and repairs, radically speed up planning permissions to meet the Government's housebuilding agenda, and build strong local economies deeply rooted in place. From fixing potholes to ambitious projects that transform the fortunes of communities, AI can make councils match fit again.
'As new councillors of all political colours get to work, they have the once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine their role, reimagine local government, and build a legacy of true leadership and change.'
Saving of one million hours
Analysis by TBI discovered that 26 per cent of tasks could be automated or improved by AI, which would save one million hours of work a year per council.
Extrapolating this data to the national level, this represents time savings worth £8 billion a year – or £325 per household – for local government in England and Wales, all while clearing backlogs and providing better services for residents.
Giving routine jobs to AI could help improve services elsewhere, such as by ensuring that social workers can spend more time on face-to-face work.
It can also speed up the assessment of elderly social care claimants, such as by transcribing conversations, creating care plans and streamlining documentation.
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