London: The UK government has for the first time used an AI tool called Consult to review public responses to a government consultation.
Initially deployed by the Scottish government, Consult was used to analyze feedback on the regulation of non-surgical cosmetic procedures, such as lip fillers. This marks a significant step toward utilizing AI in public sector processes, with plans to expand its use across government consultations to save costs and reduce the workload of officials.
The UK government confirmed that Consult was able to analyze over 2,000 public responses, identifying key themes that were subsequently verified and refined by Scottish government experts.
The AI tool provided results that were said to be nearly identical to those produced by human officials. Following this success, the government plans to extend the use of Consult to other consultations while continuing to improve its capabilities.
Consult can save millions
Consult is part of a larger AI initiative known as ‘Humphrey’, which aims to accelerate work within Whitehall and reduce the reliance on external consultants.
The government estimates that this initiative could save the British taxpayer £20 million ($25 million) annually and free up 75,000 hours of civil servant time, enabling officials to focus on other important tasks. With 500 consultations conducted each year, the potential for significant savings and efficiency improvements is considerable.
However, experts have expressed concerns about the potential risks associated with AI use in such sensitive tasks. Professor Michael Rovatsos, an AI expert from the University of Edinburgh, emphasized that while Consult has great potential, there are risks of biases influencing the system, particularly if human oversight is insufficient.
Professor Rovatsos warned that ‘bad actors’, whether domestic or foreign, could exploit the AI’s vulnerabilities by feeding it misleading prompts, and that securing the AI systems against such threats will require substantial upfront investment.
Despite these concerns, the UK government remains confident in the effectiveness of Consult. They claim that the AI tool works 1,000 times faster and 400 times cheaper than human analysts, and its conclusions align closely with expert evaluations.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle expressed confidence that AI should be used to handle repetitive and time-consuming tasks, thus saving public funds and making processes more efficient.
Following the success of the trial in Scotland, Peter Kyle noted that Humphrey, which includes Consult will be introduced across Whitehall departments.
The UK government plans to expand the tool’s use, enabling departments to review public feedback on a range of issues more quickly and comprehensively. While Consult is still in the trial phase, it is expected to be fully implemented across government offices by the end of 2025.
The government hopes that the deployment of Consult will serve as a model for future AI-driven innovations in public services, transforming how consultations are handled and ensuring that government operations are more efficient and cost-effective.
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