UK to avoid outsourcing its AI projects
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — The UK government is attempting to develop new artificial intelligence (AI) systems in-house rather than outsource them to IT firms, said Cabinet Office Minister Alex Burghart.
Speaking at the Centre for Policy Studies event in London, Burghart claimed that “high-end” AI specialists were willing to take a pay cut to work for the government on systems to cut waste and improve productivity. This comes after high-profile IT procurement disasters like the Post Office Horizon system.
Burghart said the government’s approach is to build AI capabilities in-house, moving away from outsourcing trends.
“We have gone through a period where in-house has often been balanced or completely outstripped by outsourcing,” he added.
The minister wants a team that understands “nascent” AI technology and can help build things for government-wide use. He said 30 AI experts are currently being recruited.
“The enthusiasm for people to move out of the private sector – and presumably take quite a considerable pay cut – in order to work for the government on the next generation of AI is really tangible,” Burghart stated.
Ideas being worked on include an “AI red box” to read and summarize documents for ministers. Burghart said with an effective system, the UK government will be able to retain the “experiences of previous policies and previous successes.”
The minister hopes more funding in the Spring Budget will develop AI systems to reduce fraud and error, as well as improve productivity across the government.
