The UK government has launched the AI Accelerator Programme, aimed at enhancing public services across various departments, including justice, health, and transport. This initiative is part of the government’s broader Plan for Change, which seeks to improve efficiencies and support technological growth. The programme will transform data scientists into AI specialists, with the goal of using AI to enhance public services and reduce costs for taxpayers.
The AI Accelerator Programme, which commences today, will run for 12 weeks and train 25 machine learning engineers. These engineers will participate in hackathons designed to address real-time challenges faced by government departments. The training is being conducted in partnership with Decoded, a company specialising in AI skill development.
Participants in the programme will include technical experts from the justice, health, and transport sectors. Upon completion of the programme, these experts will return to their respective departments equipped with new AI skills to reduce backlogs, cut costs, and streamline processes.
This initiative follows the Prime Minister’s recent announcement to double the number of digital experts within government departments. The government aims to leverage AI and digital technology to transform public services and achieve £45bn in productivity savings.
“We have started to build generative AI chatbots to change how people interact with the state, AI helpers to put an end to the mindless hours we spend on hold waiting for someone to pick up the phone, and tools to help get the views of citizens on policy proposals much more quickly – but AI can help with so much more, said UK Minister for AI and Digital Government Feryal Clark. “There is no reason people shouldn’t expect the same experience from public services, as they get from the most innovative businesses. By building AI skills across government, we’ll be able to deliver just that – all while finding efficiencies and transforming services to deliver our Plan for Change.”
Challenges in AI adoption highlighted amidst new government training programme
A recent report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) highlighted challenges in implementing AI systems due to poor data quality and outdated IT infrastructure. These legacy systems, which are considered obsolete and unsupported by suppliers, make up about 28% of central government systems as of 2024. The PAC report also notes that one-third of the 72 highest-risk legacy systems lack remediation funding. The report calls for prioritised funding to address these issues, warning that there are no immediate solutions.
According to the PAC report, in 2024, nearly half of the digital and data roles within the civil service were unfilled, and 70% of government departments reported challenges in hiring and retaining staff with AI expertise. Furthermore, PAC consistently voiced concerns about these skill gaps and remains sceptical about whether the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s (DSIT) planned digital reforms will effectively address the issue.
Read more: UK government to face major hurdles in AI integration, warns PAC
