Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps they are taking to use (a) artificial intelligence and (b) data to help increase their Department's productivity.

DWP is committed to improving its productivity, including through artificial intelligence and effective use of data.

The department is safely accelerating our use of AI to make a real difference for both employees and citizens. We test the feasibility of using AI technology to address business problems using an iterative, test-and-learn approach. We are exploring how AI and innovation can improve DWP’s ability to respond at pace and provide a more personalised and seamless experience for customers. An AI Delivery Board oversees DWP’s use of AI, assuring that it is safe, ethical, and transparent.

The DWP Data Strategy sets out the department’s vision, principles, and priorities, to provide a clear path to enable us to become a data-driven organisation for the greater public good. Aligned with organisational goals, it focuses on delivering excellent services, improving outcomes, reducing costs, and building trust. It will enable DWP to:

• Improve the quality, availability, and accessibility of our data.
• Enhance our data capabilities, skills, and culture.
• Strengthen our data governance, ethics, and security.
• Promote data collaboration and innovation.
• Leverage data assets for informed decision-making and policy.

With improved access to data and products, DWP will be able to make better and faster decisions. Using data to make better automated and human decisions will improve efficiency, effectiveness and our citizens’ experiences. Increased accuracy of data will support faster local decision making, based on insight on local operational pressures and local citizens’ needs. This will support DWP to reduce fraud and error incidents and improve and modernise citizen services. Business areas will be able to use data to better support citizens by making the right decision quickly and reducing burden.

Within the work of the Department's Service Modernisation Programme, opportunities to harness the potential of AI and maximise our use of data will form central parts of wider activity aimed at modernising and improving the service we provide.