Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what purposes the Office of Rail and Road has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is exploring how best it can use AI in a way that improves efficiency and effectiveness without compromising quality, confidentiality or security. The organisation is also exploring how AI might be used in the rail and road sectors, and any implications for its regulatory work.

ORR staff are able to use generative AI services with data that is already in the public domain such as enhanced search and summarisation, and initial thinking on documents/emails/presentations in accordance with the guidance to civil servants on their use.

For uses that involve non-public information, staff require authorisation. Authorised uses over the last 12 months have been:

· Communications work using the Government Communication Service specific generative AI tool.

· A pilot exploring the use of a specialist app to produce videos using AI generated avatars and copy

· A pilot exploring whether an AI tool can support the creation of formal minutes, and which tool is most effective

· A pilot using machine learning techniques to analyse underlying causes of performance issues on the railway

· Pilots exploring using AI to search internal documentation for specific purposes.