UK Gov Initiates AI Bootcamp as Outdated Tech Threatens £45B Savings Plan

Key Takeaways

• A new U.K. government program aims to train new AI specialists in the public sector.
• A recent report revealed that legacy tech systems in the U.K. government could hamper future AI rollouts.
• In January, Prime Minister Keir Starmer revealed a new suite of AI tools to improve “archaic” technology in the public sector.

The U.K. government has announced plans to upskill data scientists across the public sector into highly in-demand artificial intelligence specialists.

This follows warnings that the government’s plans to implement AI across the public sector were being held back by out-of-date technology and a widening digital skills gap.

AI Bootcamp

In January, Prime Minister Keir Starmer revealed a new AI action plan to establish the U.K. as a world leader in AI.

As part of the plan, the government will establish “AI growth zones,” which aim to streamline data center planning processes and accelerate providing clean energy to power these facilities.

The newly announced AI Accelerator Programme will provide experts from health, transport, and other public authorities with new skills to build AI tools in their departments.

The government said in a news release that the AI Accelerator Programme would “help reduce backlogs, save money, and prevent officials and the public from wasting time on bulky processes.”

The first wave of the boot camp will train 25 new machine learning engineers over 12 weeks through a series of hackathons, during which the coders will help tackle live government challenges.

“There is no reason people shouldn’t expect the same experience from public services as they get from the most innovative businesses,” AI and Digital Government Minister Feryal Clark said.

“By building AI skills across government, we’ll be able to deliver just that – all while finding efficiencies and transforming services to deliver our Plan for Change,” she added.

Big Tech Warns U.K. Risks Being Left Behind

Big Tech has issued multiple warnings that the U.K. risks being left behind in AI if its government doesn’t implement concise plans to boost its potential.

In September 2024, Debbie Weinstein, vice president and managing director of Google UK & Ireland, said that AI-powered innovation could create over £400 billion in economic value by 2030.

However, she warned that these benefits would require a comprehensive AI opportunity agenda.

“The UK needs to develop a comprehensive and thoughtful strategy that ensures it can stay ahead,” Weinstein said.

AI Rollout Hampered

A recent report from the cross-party public accounts committee (PAC) revealed that over 20 government IT systems were outdated “legacy” systems, with no plans to be updated, the Guardian reported .

According to research cited in the report, in 2024, almost a third of all central government IT systems were labeled “legacy.”

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, a Conservative MP and chair of PAC, noted in the report that “the government has said it wants to mainline AI into the veins of the nation, but our report raises questions over whether the public sector is ready for such a procedure.”

The PAC report recommended a six-month deadline for the technology department to implement a plan for funding upgrades for the highest-priority out-of-date government tech.

A government spokesperson said the PAC report reflects “much of what we already know” and highlights why Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans for an overhaul.

Public Sector Digital Skills Gap

In addition to out-of-date systems, the PAC report also warned about a widening digital skills shortage across the public sector, pointing to pay levels that are “uncompetitive with the private sector.”

Starmer said earlier this month that he intended to recruit 2,000 new tech apprentices to the civil service, and AI would free up more time for government officials’ important work.

In 2022, the government reported that the digital skills gap is estimated to cost the U.K. economy £63 billion per year.

Trade association TechUK said the government needed to find a way to “consistently reward” public sector workers for their contributions.

“This isn’t just about money, though that’s a significant part of it – bridging the salary gap is essential,” TechUK wrote in a 2024 blog post.

“But it’s also about creating a work environment where digital professionals feel valued, have opportunities for career progression, and can see the impact of their work,” it added.

U.K. Government’s New AI Agents

On Tuesday, Jan. 21, the government published a report that unveiled an AI suite of tools called “Humphrey.”

The tools include “Consult,” which analyzes thousands of responses received through government consultations. It then presents the individual consultations into interactive dashboards for presentations to policymakers, showing what the general public is saying.

The government said that this process currently takes an outsourced third party of consultants and analysts months to prepare and costs the taxpayer around £100,000 every time.

Humphrey also includes a generative AI tool to help civil servants prepare briefings and other day-to-day tasks.

Science Secretary Peter Kyle said that “sluggish technology” has cost everyone a “fortune in time and money.”

“My department will put AI to work, speeding up our ability to deliver our Plan for Change, improve lives, and drive growth,” Kyle said.

“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.”

Outdated U.K. Tech

In a news release on Monday, Jan. 20, the government claimed taxpayer-funded services, such as the NHS, were missing out on £45 billion in productivity savings.

Government findings report that over one in four digital systems used by the government were found to be outdated. In some cases, this figure reportedly tripled to 70%.

“This outdated technology can rack up huge maintenance costs, ultimately resulting in the taxpayer paying out three-to-four times more than if the technology was kept up to date,” the release said.

As almost half of public services cannot be accessed online, the government claims public sector workers spend too much time dealing with offline admin.

“This means response times are unnecessarily long with British citizens paying the price and wasting valuable time on government admin,” the government said.

The news release, signed by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other government agencies, claimed that some departments were managing over 500 paper-based services.

“A lack of information sharing between departments further hampers citizens, often the most vulnerable,” the release stated.