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This summer has marked a significant turning point in the UK’s ambition to harness artificial intelligence (AI) for the public good. Building on the AI Opportunities Action Plan, the government has moved from strategic intent to delivery, launching flagship programmes that show both the immediate and longer-term potential of AI in public services.
Two initiatives in particular stand out: the AI Exemplars Programme, announced in August, and the development of AI Helpers: agentic AI systems designed to support citizens through life events. Taken together, they demonstrate how the UK is beginning to operationalise the Action Plan’s model of “Scan, Pilot, Scale”, while positioning the public sector as both a testbed and catalyst for wider AI adoption.
Published in January, the AI Opportunities Action Plan set out three pillars for the UK’s AI journey:
A core principle was that government itself should act as an ambitious customer, commissioning AI solutions, creating markets for innovation, and using its own services as proof points by adopting a “scan > pilot > scale” approach in government. This summer’s announcements show that intent is being translated into action.
The AI Exemplars Programme brings together a series of departmental pilots designed to reduce bureaucracy, improve consistency, and free up time for frontline staff. Examples include:
These are early but essential steps. They deliver tangible improvements while generating the evidence needed to scale practical approaches nationally.
While the exemplars demonstrate promising use cases, it remains unclear whether these tools will be developed in-house or procured from external suppliers. For techUK members, this raises important questions: Are these pilots a signal of future procurement opportunities? Will departments seek partnerships to scale these solutions? Clarifying the role of industry in the exemplar programme will be key to understanding its long-term impact and potential for collaboration.
Looking further ahead, the government has also announced plans for AI Helpers, personalised agentic AI systems that could assist citizens with life admin and provide tailored career guidance. In the first instance, trials will focus on employment and skills, exploring how AI agents can match young people to apprenticeships or help adults retrain.
If successful, the same model could support other milestones, such as moving home and registering with healthcare services. The project is being developed through the UK’s first National AI Tender, which is a specific recommendation of the AI Opportunities Action Plan for scaling AI in public sector -- “Mission-focused national AI tenders to support rapid adoption across decentralised systems led by the mission delivery boards”. The AI Helpers project seeks to bring together frontier AI companies and in-house Whitehall expertise. The ambition is for a national rollout to commence in 2027.
This approach marks a shift from efficiency gains towards systemic transformation: re-imagining how citizens interact with the state, with AI acting as an intermediary across multiple agencies.
Companies interested in learning more about these opportunities or participating in future stages are encouraged to register their interest early through the CCS Artificial Intelligence (AI) agreement and the CCS Spark DPS agreement. For details on the current tender for the GOV.UK Agentic AI Companion, visit the Find a Tender notice. Procurement-related queries should be submitted via the Jaggaer portal.
The opportunities are clear: greater efficiency, improved citizen experiences, and the chance to position the UK as the first country to deploy agentic AI at scale. But challenges remain. Public trust will be crucial, especially as AI systems assume more personal tasks. Scaling pilots into nationwide systems will require sustained investment in compute, data quality, and digital skills. The UK must also ensure that it develops as a maker of AI solutions, not just a consumer of global models.
This summer’s announcements show the AI Opportunities Action Plan coming to life. If these initiatives deliver as intended, the UK will move closer to a vision where AI doesn’t just support public services, it redefines them, making the state more accessible, responsive, and effective for everyone.
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Associate Director, Local Public Services, techUK
Associate Director, Local Public Services, techUK
Georgina is techUK’s Associate Director for Local Public Services
Georgina works with suppliers that are active or looking to break into the market as well as with local public services to create the conditions for meaningful transformation. techUK regularly bring together local public services and supplier community to horizon scan and explore how the technologies of today and tomorrow can help solve some of the most pressing problems our communities face and improve outcomes for our people and places.
Prior to techUK, Georgina worked for a public policy events company where she managed the policy briefing division and was responsible for generating new ideas for events that would add value to the public sector. Georgina worked across a number of portfolios from education, criminal justice, and health but had a particular interest in public sector transformation and technology. Georgina also led on developing relationships across central and local government.
If you’d like to learn more about techUK, or want to get involved, get in touch.
Associate Director, Central Government and Education, techUK
Associate Director, Central Government and Education, techUK
Heather is Associate Director, Central Government and Education at techUK, working to represent the tech supplier community to Central Government.
She started as Head of Central Government at techUK in April 2022 and was promoted to Associate Director in August 2025 supporting both the Central Government and Education programmes.
Prior to joining techUK in April 2022, Heather worked in the Economic Policy and Small States Section at the Commonwealth Secretariat. She led the organisation’s FinTech programme and worked to create an enabling environment for developing countries to take advantage of the socio-economic benefits of FinTech.
Before moving to the UK, Heather worked at the Office of the Prime Minister of The Bahamas and the Central Bank of The Bahamas.
Heather holds a Graduate Diploma in Law from BPP, a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from LSE, and a BA in Economics and Sociology from Macalester College.
Associate Director, Defence and National Security, techUK
Associate Director, Defence and National Security, techUK
Fred is responsible for techUK's activities across the Defence and National Security sectors, working to provide members with access to key stakeholders across the Defence and National Security community. Before taking on the role of Associate Director for Defence and National Security, Fred joined techUK in 2018, working as the Programme Head for Defence at techUK, leading the organisation's engagement with the Ministry of Defence. Before joining techUK, he worked at ADS, the national trade association representing Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space companies in the UK.
Fred is responsible for techUK’s market engagement and policy development activities across the Defence and National Security sectors, working closely with various organisations within the Ministry of Defence, and across the wider National Security and Intelligence community. Fred works closely with many techUK member companies that have an interest in these sectors, and is responsible for the activities of techUK's senior Defence & Security Board. Working closely with techUK's Programme Head for Cyber Security, Fred oversees a broad range of activities for techUK members.
Outside of work, Fred's interests include football (a Watford FC fan) and skiing.
Programme Manager, Education and EdTech, techUK
Programme Manager, Education and EdTech, techUK
Austin leads techUK’s Education and EdTech programme, shaping strategies that support the digital transformation of schools, colleges, and universities. His work focuses on strengthening the UK’s education technology ecosystem, enhancing core technology foundations, and advancing the adoption of emerging technologies to improve educational outcomes.
Austin also chairs the EdTech Advisory Panel for AI in Education, contributing to national discussions on the future of EdTech, AI, and the UK's Education system.
Head of Health & Social Care, techUK
Head of Health & Social Care, techUK
Robert joined techUK in October 2022, where he is now Programme Manager for Health and Social Care.
Robert previously worked at the Pension Protection Fund, within the policy and public affairs team. Prior to this, he worked at the Scottish Parliament, advising politicians and industry stakeholders on a wide range of issues, including rural crime and health policies.
Robert has a degree in Politics and International Relations (MA Hons) from the University of Aberdeen, with a particular focus on strategic studies and energy security. Outside of work he enjoys activities such as running, rugby, boxing and cooking!
Senior Programme Manager, techUK
Senior Programme Manager, techUK
Raya Tsolova is a Programme Manager at techUK.
Prior to joining techUK, Raya worked in Business Development for an expert network firm within the institutional investment space. Before this Raya spent a year in industry working for a tech start-up in London as part of their Growth team which included the formation and development of a 'Let's Talk Tech' podcast and involvement in London Tech Week.
Raya has a degree in Politics and International Relations (Bsc Hons) from the University of Bath where she focused primarily on national security and counter-terrorism policies, centreing research on female-led terrorism and specific approaches to justice there.
Outside of work, Raya's interests include baking, spin classes and true-crime Netflix shows!
Programme Manager - Justice & Emergency Services, techUK
Programme Manager - Justice & Emergency Services, techUK
Cinzia joined techUK in August 2023 as the Justice and Emergency Services (JES) Programme Manager.
The JES programme represents suppliers, championing their interests in the blue light and criminal justice markets, whether they are established entities or newcomers seeking to establish their presence.
Prior to joining techUK, Cinzia worked in the third and public sectors, managing projects related to international trade and social inclusion.
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