Event round-up: Unlocking AI’s Potential in Transforming Public Services
How public-private collaboration, trust, and practical innovation can drive a smarter future
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.
Alison Young
Associate Director Local Public Services, techUK
Alison Young is the Associate Director Local Public Services.
Alison has background in International Trade & Investment, with experience in the public, private and third sector, advising on international trade, new markets, inward investment and working closely with UK cities and regions around investment into innovation and partnerships and technology. Prior to joining techUK, she has her own consulting business and was Head of Global Investment with the Connected Places Catapult. This role had a focus on FDI around the built environment and mobility, working across NetZero mobility projects in the UK and globally. She worked closely with the Innovation Districts Group, to foster and network of knowledge sharing and helped set up the Freeport Innovation Network, to foster innovation in the context of freeports with a focus on investment.
She spent six years living and working in the Middle East, with the Department for Business and Trade. Based first in Oman, leading on a number of sectors, from Education to Infrastructure, then based in the UAE, setting up the Technology and Smart Cities sector, with a core focus on AI and Fintech.
She is passionate about economic growth for the UK, to create jobs and opportunities; the green agenda and the decarbonisation of transport. She has a degree in Russian Studies MA, from the University of Edinburgh and is currently learning Arabic.
Programme Manager, Local Public Services and Nations and Regions, techUK
Ileana Lupsa is the Programme Manager for Local Public Services and Nations and Regions, at techUK.
Ileana studied electronics, telecommunications and IT as an undergraduate, followed by an MSc in engineering and project management at Coventry University.
She refined her programme management expertise through her most recent roles working in the automotive industry.
Ileana is passionate about sustainability and creating a positive impact globally through innovation.
Programme Marketing Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Tracy supports the marketing of several areas at techUK, including Cyber Exchange, Central Government, Cyber Resilience, Defence, Education, Health and Social Care, Justice and Emergency Services, Local Public Services, Nations and Regions and National Security.
Tracy joined techUK in March 2022, having worked in the education sector for 19 years, covering administration, research project support, IT support and event/training support. My most outstanding achievement has been running three very successful international conferences and over 300 training courses booked all over the globe!
Tracy has a great interest in tech. Gaming and computing have been a big part of her life, and now electric cars are an exciting look at the future. She has warmed to Alexa, even though it can sometimes be sassy!
Our Local Public Services Programme helps techUK members to navigate local government. We champion innovation that can create truly digital local public services helping to create thriving, productive and safer places for all. Visit the programme page here
Local Public Services Innovation Summit 2025
Attend techUK’s annual Local Public Services Innovation Summit where we will convene local authorities with tech industry to showcase good practise and facilitate greater collaboration between councils and industry.
Call for submissions: Get involved in techUK’s Local Public Services Innovation Awareness Day 2025
techUK members and local government stakeholders are invited to contribute to techUK’s Local Public Services Innovation Awareness Day with key initiatives, on 21 May.
We are partnering with the LGA to deliver a webinar as part of Women's History Month, where we will be hearing from women leaders in both local government and techUK members on their career journeys, barriers they have overcome and what both the tech and local government sector can learn from each other to continue increasing women representation and progression across our sectors.
Join us to hear more about their digital strategy, initiatives, their ambitions for the future and how you can get involved. We will be joined by Heather Clark (Economics), Head of City Economy and External Funding Strategy at City of Wolverhampton Council.
Our members develop strong networks, build meaningful partnerships and grow their businesses as we all work together to create a thriving environment where industry, government and stakeholders come together to realise the positive outcomes tech can deliver.
Alison Young is the Associate Director Local Public Services.
Alison has background in International Trade & Investment, with experience in the public, private and third sector, advising on international trade, new markets, inward investment and working closely with UK cities and regions around investment into innovation and partnerships and technology. Prior to joining techUK, she has her own consulting business and was Head of Global Investment with the Connected Places Catapult. This role had a focus on FDI around the built environment and mobility, working across NetZero mobility projects in the UK and globally. She worked closely with the Innovation Districts Group, to foster and network of knowledge sharing and helped set up the Freeport Innovation Network, to foster innovation in the context of freeports with a focus on investment.
She spent six years living and working in the Middle East, with the Department for Business and Trade. Based first in Oman, leading on a number of sectors, from Education to Infrastructure, then based in the UAE, setting up the Technology and Smart Cities sector, with a core focus on AI and Fintech.
She is passionate about economic growth for the UK, to create jobs and opportunities; the green agenda and the decarbonisation of transport. She has a degree in Russian Studies MA, from the University of Edinburgh and is currently learning Arabic.
Programme Manager, Local Public Services and Nations and Regions, techUK
Ileana Lupsa
Programme Manager, Local Public Services and Nations and Regions, techUK
Ileana Lupsa is the Programme Manager for Local Public Services and Nations and Regions, at techUK.
Ileana studied electronics, telecommunications and IT as an undergraduate, followed by an MSc in engineering and project management at Coventry University.
She refined her programme management expertise through her most recent roles working in the automotive industry.
Ileana is passionate about sustainability and creating a positive impact globally through innovation.
Programme Marketing Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Tracy Modha
Programme Marketing Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Tracy supports the marketing of several areas at techUK, including Cyber Exchange, Central Government, Cyber Resilience, Defence, Education, Health and Social Care, Justice and Emergency Services, Local Public Services, Nations and Regions and National Security.
Tracy joined techUK in March 2022, having worked in the education sector for 19 years, covering administration, research project support, IT support and event/training support. My most outstanding achievement has been running three very successful international conferences and over 300 training courses booked all over the globe!
Tracy has a great interest in tech. Gaming and computing have been a big part of her life, and now electric cars are an exciting look at the future. She has warmed to Alexa, even though it can sometimes be sassy!
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.
