UK government AI trial saves civil servants nearly 2 weeks annually
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — Civil servants in the United Kingdom have saved the equivalent of two weeks’ working time per year by using artificial intelligence tools, according to a recent government trial.
The study, which involved more than 20,000 officials over three months, found that staff using Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant were able to draft documents, summarize meetings, and prepare reports more efficiently, saving an average of 26 minutes each day.
Microsoft’s Copilot adoption transforms public sector workflows
The trial saw Copilot deployed across various government departments. At Companies House, the tool was used to manage routine customer queries and update records, while the Department for Work and Pensions used it to personalize advice for jobseekers.
The technology proved especially effective for drafting documents and creating presentations, saving users 24 and 19 minutes per day on those tasks, respectively. Despite these gains, 17% of respondents said the tool did not save them any time.
Civil servants expressed strong support for continued AI use, with 82% indicating they wanted to keep using the technology.
“AI tools are saving civil servants time every day. That means we can focus more on delivering faster, more [personalized] support where it really counts,” said Technology Secretary Peter Kyle.
“AI is changing the way government operates, helping us work smarter, reduce red tape, and make better use of taxpayers’ money.”
Broader push for digital transformation
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government has set an ambitious target of £45 billion (US$61 billion) in cost savings by modernizing the public sector with digital services and AI.
In January, the government announced the development of a new suite of AI tools called “Humphrey” to further boost civil service productivity.
Plans are also underway for new digital tools for citizens, including a government services app, a chatbot, and a digital wallet for storing official documents like driving licenses.
Concerns and global context
While the UK government is pushing to attract overseas investment in AI by relaxing copyright laws, the move has drawn criticism from creative industry groups.
Experts also caution that AI tools can still suffer from glitches, making them unsuitable for some official tasks.
Internationally, AI adoption in public services has produced mixed results. For example, a New York City chatbot was taken offline after it gave users illegal advice, and the Dutch government resigned in 2021 after biased AI algorithms wrongly penalized thousands of people in a benefits fraud crackdown.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have criticized the use of predictive policing algorithms in the UK, warning that such systems can reinforce existing biases and discrimination.
