Event round-up: Unlocking AI’s Potential in Transforming Public Services
On 6 May 2025, we hosted a dynamic roundtable in Birmingham in partnership with Birmingham City Council and techUK member Shoosmiths, exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can transform public services and shape the future of digital cities.
With representatives from local government and the tech industry, the event provided a collaborative space to address shared challenges, highlight opportunities, and explore how we can shift from AI ambition to real-world delivery.
Setting the scene
The UK Government’s AI Strategy provided an important backdrop, but our focus extended far beyond policy. We asked:
How can councils harness AI to become digital enablers, not just service providers?
What are the quick wins and scalable use cases that can be replicated across the UK?
What will it take in terms of infrastructure, data, skills, and culture to embed AI meaningfully in public services?
How do we design AI-enabled cities that are inclusive, empowering, and citizen-led?
What would it take to unlock more effective, high-impact collaboration between councils, tech firms, and academia?
We were especially pleased to be joined by Martin Sadler, Director of Digital and Technology Services at Birmingham City Council, who shared insights on the role of local leadership in driving this transformation.
Key themes from the roundtable
From pilots to delivery at scale
While proof of concepts (POCs) remain important, the real value lies in moving beyond pilots to full-scale implementation. Councils need robust business cases, organisational readiness, and the ability to demonstrate how AI saves time and improves outcomes particularly in high-pressure areas like social care.
As one attendee noted, "AI is already here. Now it’s about using it to spot patterns, free up time, and help people make better decisions."
Building trust and driving culture change
Trust emerged as a central theme: trust in data, in technology, and in leadership. Embedding AI in public services requires not just new tools, but also cultural change. Staff need to understand both the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of AI-driven change.
Skills and internal capability
Skills gaps were flagged as a key barrier particularly when it comes to using existing digital tools effectively. Before adopting new platforms, many councils could unlock significant efficiency simply by investing in training for the tools they already have, such as Microsoft 365 and CoPilot. Long term, attracting and retaining AI talent in regions like the West Midlands will be essential.
The data dilemma
AI relies on good data but many councils face ongoing challenges with legacy systems, data silos, and data governance. Attendees agreed that investing in foundational data work is essential, with a focus on quality, usability, and compliance.
“Don’t underestimate the challenge of sorting the data,” one participant remarked. “That’s the enabler for everything else.”
Smarter procurement and supporting SMEs
Procurement remains one of the biggest barriers to innovation. While new regulations aim to improve access for SMEs, translating them into a workable process remains difficult. Attendees highlighted successful models like CivTech and innovation partnerships that help smaller companies co-develop and deliver services without being locked out by complex frameworks.
Public-private partnerships that work
Councils want tech partners who understand their priorities and co-create solutions that solve real-world problems. This requires long-term relationships, risk-sharing models, and alignment on outcomes not just transactions.
Examples and opportunities
Participants shared several examples of where AI is already driving value:
In healthcare, AI is reducing waiting times, tracking equipment, and improving hospital flow.
Birmingham City Council is piloting AI in areas like pothole prediction, fly-tipping prevention, and digital monitoring for vulnerable residents through initiatives like “City for Care.”
Universities and accelerators in Birmingham and beyond are supporting AI capability-building through new programmes and cross-sector collaboration.
What’s next
The roundtable surfaced several priorities for action:
Enable greater sharing and replication of best practices across local government.
Create more inclusive procurement routes and support for SME innovation.
Invest in workforce upskilling to improve the adoption and impact of digital tools.
Build strong data foundations to unlock long-term value from AI.
Sustain open and collaborative dialogue across sectors to drive collective progress.
Final reflections
AI offers powerful opportunities to reimagine how public services are delivered. But real transformation will require more than tools, it will take trust, leadership, strong partnerships, and a clear focus on delivery. The foundations are being laid. Now, we must work together to build on them.
If you’re a council, a tech company, or a public servant looking to explore what’s possible with AI we’d love to hear from you.
