Government departments and public sector organisations will now be able to refer to the AI Playbook for the UK Government, which advises them how to harness the power of a wider range of AI technologies “safely, effectively, and responsibly.”
The AI Playbook follows the publication in January of the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, which laid out a roadmap for how AI can benefit people across the UK.
“The publication of the AI Playbook highlights the competence and extraordinary work already being done in the AI space across the public sector,” noted Feryal Clark, the Minister for AI and Digital Government, in the forward to the Playbook.
“Developed collaboratively, with input from many government departments, public sector institutions, academia, and industry, this guidance reflects our commitment to continuously engaging with and learning from wider civil society.”
Clark said the AI Playbook will support the public sector in better understanding what AI can and cannot do, and how to mitigate the risks it brings. “It will help ensure that AI technologies are deployed in responsible and beneficial ways, safeguarding the security, wellbeing, and trust of the public we serve,” she said.
If you liked this content…
UK public sector struggling to digitise – despite Government pressure 
Government kickstarts next phase of AI Growth Zones
Government’s AI transformation demands radical procurement overhaul
Google Cloud seeks to improve access to public sector innovation with open AI
Implementing AI in the public sector: Four tips to enhance adoption
“The potential of AI to transform public services is enormous, giving us an unparalleled opportunity to do things differently and deliver more with less. AI is already helping civil servants spend less time on repetitive tasks, enabling teachers to personalise lessons, and can allow doctors to access life-saving insights faster, through AI-assisted diagnostics.”
Government CTO David Knott said the AI Playbook is an updated version of the Generative AI Framework for HMG, which was published in January 2024. It has been expanded to cover new developments, and includes primers on various AI fields, and links to learning resources.
“The AI Playbook now covers the important and emerging discipline of conducting research with the users of AI systems. It addresses emerging cyber threats to those systems, and the ways that attackers are using AI to create new threats,” he said.
Clark said the government will “continuously revise and improve the AI Playbook to help the UK public sector become a leading responsible user of AI technologies. As technology evolves, so too will our approach, ensuring we remain at the forefront of responsible innovation – always guided by the principle that technology must serve people.”
