Use of AI in Government

This Committee of Public Accounts report scrutinises UK central government readiness to adopt AI across the public sector, focusing on value for money, delivery capacity, and risk controls. It frames AI adoption as a transformation agenda dependent on foundations that are presently weak, namely remediation of high risk legacy systems, improved data quality and data sharing, stronger transparency to sustain public trust, and improved digital and AI capability in the civil service. It also treats procurement strategy as a market shaping tool, warning against lock in and weak competition in a supplier market perceived as concentrated. The report is not legally binding, but it sets time bound expectations for DSIT and the Cabinet Office and positions transparency as a core governance norm: ‘Transparency is fundamental to building that trust.’