UK Government brings further AI capability into public services
techUK is keeping track of the 2026 updates to the AI Opportunities Action Plan. A full summary of all the announcements this month is forthcoming.
The government has announced a new set of measures aimed at applying AI more directly to public service delivery, with a focus on practical deployment rather than experimentation. This builds on Government’s previous commitments to adopting effective AI in public services as stated in January 2025’s AI Opportunities Action Plan.
Key elements of the announcement include:
AI fellows embedded in government
- A new cohort of AI fellows will work within government for the next year.
- The programme is through the Alan Turing Institute and has $1 million in funding.
- Fellows will develop open-source tools intended for use across public services.
- The fellows will focus on the following use-cases:
- Transport and infrastructure: AI models will analyse images and video to help local authorities prioritise maintenance and repairs.
- Security and defence: Development of AI systems capable of running offline or within secure networks, enabling use in safety-critical and sensitive environments.
These use cases reflect ongoing constraints in the public sector, including connectivity, legacy systems and data protection requirements.
AI assistant for public services
- A new partnership with Anthropic will design and pilot an AI assistant for public service use.
- The assistant will first focus on employment support, providing job seekers with tailored advice and practical assistance.
- Use of the assistant will be optional.
- A pilot is expected to begin later this year as part of wider work on AI agents in central government services.
Link to wider government reform
- This roadmap builds on the AI Opportunities Action Plan from January 2025 and marks a shift from strategy development to delivery.
- The focus is on applying AI where it can reduce friction in services and improve decision-making.
techUK thoughts
For industry, the significance of these announcements lies less in the pilots themselves and more in execution. Key questions remain around integration with legacy systems, governance of AI tools in production, and whether government can retain capability once short-term programmes conclude.
techUK welcomes the efforts made to adopt AI in UK public sector and to embrace digital transformation in the public sector. We have long championed the use of technology to modernise government, deliver better citizen services, and build a smarter state.
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Kir Nuthi
Kir Nuthi
Kir Nuthi is the Head of AI and Data at techUK.
She holds over seven years of Government Affairs and Tech Policy experience in the US and UK. Kir previously headed up the regulatory portfolio at a UK advocacy group for tech startups and held various public affairs in US tech policy. All involved policy research and campaigns on competition, artificial intelligence, access to data, and pro-innovation regulation.
Kir has an MSc in International Public Policy from University College London and a BA in both Political Science (International Relations) and Economics from the University of California San Diego.
Outside of techUK, you are likely to find her attempting studies at art galleries, attempting an elusive headstand at yoga, mending and binding books, or chasing her dog Maya around South London's many parks.
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Usman Ikhlaq
Usman Ikhlaq
Usman joined techUK in January 2024 as Programme Manager for Artificial Intelligence.
He leads techUK’s AI Adoption programme, supporting members of all sizes and sectors in adopting AI at scale. His work involves identifying barriers to adoption, exploring solutions, and helping to unlock AI’s transformative potential, particularly its benefits for people, the economy, society, and the planet. He is also committed to advancing the UK’s AI sector and ensuring the UK remains a global leader in AI by working closely with techUK members, the UK Government, regulators, and devolved and local authorities.
Since joining techUK, Usman has delivered a regular drumbeat of activity to engage members and advance techUK's AI programme. This has included two campaign weeks, the creation of the AI Adoption Hub (now the AI Hub), the AI Leader's Event Series, the Putting AI into Action webinar series and the Industrial AI sprint campaign.
Before joining techUK, Usman worked as a policy, regulatory and government/public affairs professional in the advertising sector. He has also worked in sales, marketing, and FinTech.
Usman holds an MSc from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), a GDL and LLB from BPP Law School, and a BA from Queen Mary University of London.
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Sue Daley OBE
Sue Daley OBE
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This includes work programmes on cloud, data protection, data analytics, AI, digital ethics, Digital Identity and Internet of Things as well as emerging and transformative technologies and innovation policy.
In 2025, Sue was honoured with an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the Technology Industry in the New Year Honours List.
She has been recognised as one of the most influential people in UK tech by Computer Weekly's UKtech50 Longlist and in 2021 was inducted into the Computer Weekly Most Influential Women in UK Tech Hall of Fame.
A key influencer in driving forward the data agenda in the UK, Sue was co-chair of the UK government's National Data Strategy Forum until July 2024. As well as being recognised in the UK's Big Data 100 and the Global Top 100 Data Visionaries for 2020 Sue has also been shortlisted for the Milton Keynes Women Leaders Awards and was a judge for the Loebner Prize in AI. In addition to being a regular industry speaker on issues including AI ethics, data protection and cyber security, Sue was recently a judge for the UK Tech 50 and is a regular judge of the annual UK Cloud Awards.
Prior to joining techUK in January 2015 Sue was responsible for Symantec's Government Relations in the UK and Ireland. She has spoken at events including the UK-China Internet Forum in Beijing, UN IGF and European RSA on issues ranging from data usage and privacy, cloud computing and online child safety. Before joining Symantec, Sue was senior policy advisor at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Sue has an BA degree on History and American Studies from Leeds University and a Masters Degree on International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Birmingham. Sue is a keen sportswoman and in 2016 achieved a lifelong ambition to swim the English Channel.
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Kir Nuthi
Kir Nuthi is the Head of AI and Data at techUK.
