Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of the use of artificial intelligence on future levels of employment in the civil service.

The Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), in the Cabinet Office, is working with departments to understand the full potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation and service optimisation.

In June 2022 as part of the Government Roadmap for Digital and Data, the government published our commitment to “systematically identify and capture opportunities arising from emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and quantum computing”. CDDO has convened external experts and digital leaders across government to rapidly respond to developments in this area.

CDDO is working with departments to establish the frameworks and policies to guide the responsible adoption of new technologies, including AI, and is already working with departments to realise opportunities in service delivery and optimisation. We are working to build a greater understanding of the potential impact of AI on Government work and efficiency which will further enhance our ability to plan future levels of employment in the civil service. Individual departments, within their own delegated authority, will be the ultimate decision maker as to the impact AI (or any other technology) has on their own levels of employment.