Written evidence submitted by Dr Alina Maria Vaduva (UAIG0005)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) could transform public services and has the potential to generate massive savings. Lately, AI has become increasingly used in local and central government. AI could be seen as a “growing resource of interactive, autonomous, and often self-learning agency” with many applications and the potential to redefine our environment (Hine & Floridi, 2022). With the arrival of Industry 5.0, artificial intelligence (AI) has swiftly risen as a rapidly expanding technology with vast potential for government (Vaduva & Chang, 2024). Future AI use cases may include energy infrastructure monitoring; prediction and analysis of demographic changes; central government data management; predictive analytics for resource allocation; fraud detection; civic engagement; public safety and security and many more.

A recent NAO (UK’s National Audit Office) Report (2023) revealed that there is great potential for large-scale productivity gains from the use of AI in the public sector. According to the same report, AI was not yet widely used across UK government, yet 70% of respondents stated were aiming at and piloting AI use cases. The report further recommends a “drastic plan to tackle barriers to AI use”. However, despite its exceptional potential benefits, the use of AI has also risen ethical and responsibility related concerns. It will also transform the way decisions are made in essential state areas such as health, education, defences, welfare, social care or transport. This report offers an overview of the process of decision making and analysis the main positive and negative implications related to the use of AI in government. It also analysis principles and laws that are relevant for the application of AI in governance and aims to provide insights and further guidance for governments and public sector organisations for setting effective governance to tackle AI related risks.

More information on the Use of AI in Government can be found here: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8580/use-of-ai-in-government/p...