Guest blog (Henham Strategy): how AI has the potential to revolutionise local government service delivery

Guest blog from Kate Fairhurst at Henham Strategy.

It is nothing special to say that AI has the potential to revolutionise local government service delivery. A quick Google search brings up countless articles and case studies which extol the virtues of how AI technology can bring benefits to local authorities, whether that be in terms of cost, efficiency or quality.

The possibilities of AI are not in doubt. The more interesting question is to consider why faster and more widespread adoption of these technologies is not currently happening and what we can do about it.

As a local councillor myself and someone who is passionate about local government, AI is an instinctive policy win-win. We have seen plenty of success stories, for example how AI chatbots are delivering a more streamlined resident enquiry service, how AI algorithms can be used to identify trends and predict outcomes (therefore improving how taxpayers’ money is spent), and how AI can be combined with augmented reality to enhance digital engagement in planning applications. So, what’s the catch?

To understand the catch, AI companies need to get into the minds of the customers they are seeking to work with – in this case, local authorities. These are organisations tasked with shielding public money from abuse and ensuring every penny is spent wisely.

Local authorities will be culturally risk adverse, keen to understand impact, and have ‘value for money’ engrained within their decision-making. They will also have a few instinctive reservations front-of-mind which AI companies would do well to address head-on:

Transparency: Local authorities are accountable to the public. Officers need to be able to demonstrate how decisions have been reached. Elected members need to be able to clearly explain processes on the doorstep. How does your product work (in plain English) and how is it monitored for accuracy?
Cyber security: Storing and protecting data carefully is of the utmost importance. What proactive steps are you taking to protect your customers and how can you reassure them about the safety of your systems?
Digital exclusion: The residents within a local authority’s remit will be a mixed demographic. Authorities will be particularly conscious of those who are most vulnerable, including the digitally excluded. Are you making it clear enough that you understand the full picture?
Bias: Regardless of whether AI technology contains or leads to bias, the perception of the risk is enough to cause nervousness. Do you have an adequate response to that?

There is little point in local authorities resisting the tide. AI technology will only continue to develop and expand its capabilities. In that sense, AI companies are knocking at an open door. Local authorities would be negligent if they did not explore all available possibilities to deliver a more ambitious and cost-effective delivery programme for their residents, especially within a constrained budget envelope.

However, the door will not open completely for AI companies if they forget to adjust their sales pitch. At Henham Strategy, we help our clients to fully understand their target public sector customers, ensuring that their compelling messages land in the best way possible. When it works, public and private sector collaboration unlocks amazing results. It is indisputable that AI will result in many more exciting results to come.

Dive deeper with more AI insights:

If you're interested in AI adoption you can find more insights on our AI Campaign Week page, here:

Stay up to date with techUK AI Adoption work:

To help promote greater levels of responsible AI adoption, techUK is working alongside its members and key stakeholders across the AI ecosystem to demonstrate the significant benefits of this technology for both the economy and society. The best way to stay up to date with our work is to visit our AI Adoption Hub.

Call for AI Adoption case studies:

As part of techUK’s 2024 AI Campaign Week, we are launching a call for techUK member case studies, to demonstrate how organisations are tackling the barriers to AI adoption to maximise AI's potential. These case studies will be showcased to UK organisations that are also embarking on their AI adoption journeys, providing them with practical examples and insights to guide their Putting AI into Action efforts. Learn more here.

techUK - Seizing the AI Opportunity

The UK is a global leader in AI innovation, development and adoption.

The economic growth and productivity gain that AI can unlock is vast, but to fully harness this transformative opportunity, immediate action is required. Our aim is to ensure the UK seizes the opportunities presented by AI technology and continues to be a world leader in AI development.

techUK runs a busy calendar of activities including events, reports, and insights to demonstrate some of the most significant AI opportunities for the UK. Our AI Hub is where you will find details of all upcoming activity. We also send a monthly AI newsletter which you can subscribe to here.