US EditionUK civil servants who used AI saved two weeks a year, government study finds
- The UK Government Digital Service ran a trial from September to December 2024 where 20,000 civil servants used Microsoft 365 Copilot tools to improve productivity.
- This trial followed growing interest in AI to support public sector work, with the Alan Turing Institute reporting potential savings of 13 days annually and up to 41% of tasks AI could assist with.
- During the trial, users employed AI to draft documents, summarize meetings, streamline consultations, and handle administrative tasks within integrated Microsoft 365 apps, reducing time spent on routine work.
- Participants saved an average of 26 minutes daily, equating to nearly two weeks annually per person, with over 70% confirming reduced time searching for information and 82% preferring AI-assisted workflows.
- The results suggest AI adoption could significantly modernize public services, freeing staff for higher-value tasks and supporting the government's £45 billion savings Plan for Change.
16 Articles
16 Articles
UK government launches model to accelerate business AI adoption
The UK government has launched an “evidence-based model” aimed at speeding up the adoption of AI across the economy. Based on the earlier launch of Assist, a bespoke generative AI tool designed for the Government Communication Service (GCS), the new model will encourage AI implementation to meet – what the Cabinet Office has described as – its full potential. The Adapt tool has now been adopted by more than 70% of government communications staff…
Copilot saved UK public servants less time than in Australia
UK public servants saved an average of 26 minutes each day using Microsoft’s generative AI tool during a large-scale trial last year – far less than a similar trial in Australia. The Copilot trial, which took place in the last three months of 2024, involved 20,000 public servants across 12 departments and agencies, including His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs Home Office and the Home Office. It was designed to understand the value of the AI tool wh…
Major government Copilot trial finds half an hour average time savings per day
A pilot exercise involving 20,000 officials across 12 departments found that, while benefits were fairly consistent across civil service grades, results varied much more widely by profession and use case A major Whitehall trial of Microsoft’s Copilot has found that the artificial intelligence technology enabled civil servants to save an average of about half an hour a day, with “results [that] were consistent across grades and professions”. Duri…
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