Reimagining public services: The role of AI and digital skills training
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled the government’s plan to “turbocharge growth” and improve public services by “mainlining AI into the nation's veins.”
For decades, technology has promised to revolutionise public services – delivering more personalised, efficient, and cost-effective outcomes. But the reality has often fallen short.
This time, however, might be different.
The explosion of available data, combined with rapid advances in artificial intelligence – especially generative AI – has created a genuine opportunity to rethink how government operates.
An early estimate by the Central Digital and Data Office suggests that around a third of civil service tasks could be automated, allowing staff to focus on more specialist activities, without the mundane and repetitive tasks. And it’s beneficial on a macro scale as well as for the individual; the Tony Blair Institute suggests AI could save the government up to £40 billion annually.
With a mandate to reduce public spending, the Labour government is betting on AI to deliver services that allow civil servants to work smarter, and leaner.
Across departments, there are promising signs: AI is being piloted to draft briefing papers, manage contracts, streamline procurement, and analyse public consultations. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is even trialling a bespoke large language model – ‘Redbox’ – tailored for civil servants.
But these are still early days. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation notes a lack of systemic understanding of where AI is being used and whether it’s improving outcomes. The Ada Lovelace Institute echoes this, warning that the benefits remain speculative.
A skills gap is blocking our AI opportunity
AI’s potential in public services is immense: faster processes, reduced costs, and better outcomes for citizens. But there’s a catch.
The public sector is facing a critical digital skills gap. Without the right talent and applicable expertise, even the most powerful AI tools can’t be deployed effectively, or reliably. Civil servants need the skills to understand, implement, and govern AI technologies responsibly.
And it’s not just about technical know-how. The real power of AI emerges when subject matter experts – the people who really understand how to reduce reoffending, improve housing, or ensure a healthcare service for all – can work directly with data and AI tools to uncover insights and drive innovation. That requires confidence, training, and access to the right infrastructure.
Data collaboration is the road to value
One of the biggest challenges in public services is data fragmentation. Information about citizens is often siloed across departments – education, justice, housing, health – each holding a piece of the puzzle. But this isn’t how people live their lives. In reality, those elements are part of a complete picture.
The ability to safely and securely bring together diverse datasets – structured or unstructured – means stronger insights. Imagine a policymaker is trying to understand the root causes of reoffending. With access to cross-departmental data, they could explore links between education, housing, employment, and justice outcomes.
That’s where AI can shine: helping to make sense of complex, interconnected data to inform better decisions. But critically, never to make them without appropriate human oversight and intervention.
Of course, this must be done with the highest standards of privacy, security, and transparency. Public trust depends on it.
The role of apprenticeships: building public services capacity
So how do you get the skills to make it happen? One of the most practical and scalable solutions is apprenticeships.
Digital and AI apprenticeships offer a way to build in-house capability while delivering real-world impact. Programmes combine technical training with hands-on experience, enabling public sector teams to grow their own talent in a way that is deeply contextualised to the uniqueness of the sector and even specific departments.
Take the Ministry of Justice, for example. By investing in a specialised data apprenticeship programme, they’ve significantly expanded their data analytics capabilities - empowering teams to make better, evidence-based decisions.
Investing in digital apprenticeships isn’t just about filling skills gaps. It’s a strategic move that delivers long-term value.
Apprenticeships offer a lower-cost alternative to hiring external consultants or vendors, easing budgetary challenges that are a widespread reality the public sector knows well. They promote diversity and inclusion, opening doors to underrepresented groups, helping to build a more inclusive workforce.
The ‘grow your own’ approach we mentioned above also reduces reliance on third parties and ensures knowledge stays within the organisation.
Ultimately, these factors combined lead to more ethical AI deployment. Skilled, diverse, and embedded teams are better equipped to ensure AI is used transparently, accountably, and in line with public values.
If the government is serious about embedding AI into the fabric of public services, it must invest in the people who will make it work. Public sector leaders should see digital skills development not as a side project, but as a core pillar of their transformation strategy.
Partnering with providers like QA to embed apprenticeships into their workforce plans is a smart, future-proof move. Because ultimately, the success of AI in public services will be determined by the people who design, deploy, and govern it.
Find out how QA can help the public sector to embrace AI and close digital skills gaps
