An Artificial Intelligence (AI) data system which the Government has named as “Humphrey” will be used to help get the sick back to work and cut the benefits bill by billions.
Humphrey is one of a number of AI systems that will be deployed across the government to share information on the British people and speed up the work of departments. The name was inspired by the fictional Whitehall official Sir Humphrey Appleby from the BBC’s Yes, Minister.
A new team will be tasked with finding ways to use technology to streamline public services, starting with those for people with long-term health conditions or disabilities.
A government announcement on the plans stated: “The government has announced a new plan to leverage technology and AI tools like “Humphrey” to streamline public services, eliminate delays through improved data sharing, and reduce costs, including consultant spending.
“Data sharing across the public sector will be tackled in bid to stamp out nonsensical delays and save taxpayers billions.”
It added: “A new package of AI tools – nicknamed ‘Humphrey’ – will be available to civil servants in an effort to modernise tech and deliver better public services to set the country on course for a decade of national renewal.”
The Work and Pensions Secretary at the DWP, Liz Kendall, said AI would improve the work of Jobcentres and the DWP against the background of efforts to bring people with disabilities, including mental health issues, back into the workforce and cut the ballooning benefits bill.
“Outdated technology is holding us back. Sluggish manual processes mean people don’t get the help they need quickly enough,” she said
“That’s why we want to use the latest AI technologies to bring Jobcentres into the 21st Century, giving our brilliant staff the tools they need to offer more personalised services to jobseekers.
“But this is just one example of how AI can make our work more effective. We are committed to going further to make our services faster, fairer, and more accessible for the people who rely on us every day.”
The Government has said that its employment reforms will give staff at Jobcentres more flexibility to offer personalised support, with £55m going towards bringing services online.
Work coaches are being given AI tools to respond faster to inquiries from benefit claimants.
Science Secretary Peter Kyle is also expected to unveil plans for digital driving licences, accessed on an app, which will serve as ID cards.
The Government wants departments to share more data and for public services to be joined up so people do not have to tell dozens of organisations the same thing.
Mr Kyle said: “Sluggish technology has hampered our public services for too long, and it’s costing us all a fortune in time and money, not to mention the headaches and stresses we’re left with after being put on hold or forced to take a trip to fill out a form.
“My department will put AI to work, speeding up our ability to deliver our Plan for Change, improve lives and drive growth.
“We will use technology to bear down hard to the nonsensical approach the public sector takes to sharing information and working together to help the people it serves.
“We will also end delays businesses face when they are applying for licences or permits when they just want to get on with the task in hand – growth. This is just the start.”
The Government has said it will “take forward” all 50 recommendations made by tech entrepreneur Matt Clifford, who was commissioned by Kyle in July to come up with a plan to identify AI opportunities.
One, called Consult, aims to speed up policy decision-making by crunching thousands of responses to consultations within hours and presenting them as interactive dashboards for policymakers and experts.
Consultants and analysts who do this at the moment can take months to compile responses and bill the taxpayer around £100,000 per consultation.
