Vicki Woolgar
Emma Taylor
In March, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) hosted its second AI conference. It brought together enthusiasts and practitioners to discuss the latest advances and applications of artificial intelligence in the public sector.
The potential of AI to transform public services is enormous, providing opportunities to do things differently and deliver more with less. With the AI opportunities action plan published in January and the introduction of a new AI playbook, the conference was perfect timing. It helped participants better understand what this means for the public sector, how it will impact our ways of working and how to safely seize opportunities.
Broadening our AI perspectives
As AI capabilities develop at a rapid pace, broadening our perspectives beyond DBT is essential. At our conference, this was achieved through a dynamic mix of panel discussions, insight, presentations and interactive break-out sessions, with an emphasis on building a community. Participants worked together, sharing ideas throughout a diverse selection of sessions:
- an in-depth overview of the AI playbook, delivered by Dr. Andrew Larkham (Service Owner, AI and Automation, Government Digital Service)
- a panel discussion to examine criteria for selecting the right AI assistant, including Copilot, Redbox and a new package of AI tools called AI Humphrey
- break-out sessions covering:
- Building trust through AI governance and guidance
- How AI is helping the neurodiversity network (see our recent blog on How AI is helping neurodiverse staff thrive in DBT)
- We can't predict the future of AI, but we can build a strategy
- The AI lifecycle; from risk identification to evaluation
- the practical uses of AI in the public sector, delivered by Dr. Jonathan Bright, Head of AI for Public Services, Turing Institute
Building connections on our AI journey
Maggie Steven, AI Project Lead, ACAS
Attending DBT’s AI conference came at the right time for me, as I had just started in my new project role. It was a fantastic opportunity to build new connections and share knowledge and learnings with different departments. It also enabled me to network and collaborate across the teams as we’re all on the same journey.
My highlight was the opening session led by Dr. Andrew Larkham, which covered the Government AI Playbook. This is such a useful resource, so it was great to get more of an insight into how to maximise its use. I also found the ‘What is the right AI assistant?’ discussion very insightful, with a great panel discussion and Q&A.
The conference helped improve my understanding of the importance of prompt skills, human interaction and managing change. I’m using what I learnt to feed into the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) AI strategy and opportunities. I gained fantastic resources for continuous learning and insights into running pilots and evaluation methodology. They will help me support our wider team as we continue to explore the world of AI.
Insights and collaborations in AI development
Michael Padfield, Strategy and Engagement Manager, Incubator for Artificial Intelligence
Taking part in the discussion around the right AI assistant gave me a great platform to present the new Humphrey AI package. This is a suite of tools developed by the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence, specifically for the civil service. It was good to share progress on Consult (AI consultation analysis), Parlex (tool for navigating parliamentary data) and Minute (AI transcription in civil service tailored formats).
It was fantastic to build on existing collaborations between the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence and DBT. This has seen DBT develop its own version of our Redbox tool and second DBT engineers into the i.AI team.
I also enjoyed hearing about the great progress DBT was making with AI and to feel the excitement in the room for going further, faster. I’m grateful to have contributed and come away with fresh perspectives and renewed excitement for what’s ahead.
The AI opportunity
Our second AI conference was a significant milestone in DBT's journey towards harnessing the power of AI in the public sector. It has left us inspired and energised by the huge opportunities ahead. This can only be done through fully understanding not only AI’s potential, but also its limitations. Sharing insights and building connections have already opened doors to fresh possibilities. These are a powerful reminder that we are just scratching the surface of what AI can achieve.
Looking forward, the future of AI is full of potential and further opportunities – whether it’s improving productivity or transforming the way we work. The lessons learned and connections made at this conference will undoubtedly continue to shape our approach to AI and its applications in the public sector. The real opportunity lies in how we choose to harness this momentum and drive meaningful change together.
Read about the insights gained at DBT's first AI conference.
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