According to The Telegraph, an AI tool is already in operation, reading and summarising letters and emails addressed to the Treasury and suggesting responses for civil servants. The government is reportedly considering extending the use of AI to additional departments.

A government spokesperson defended the initiative, stating, “We make no apology for exploring innovations that improve public services. This tool has already been used for four months. It has increased productivity by 30 percent, helping us save taxpayers’ money by reducing the need for expensive contractors during busy periods.”

The spokesperson further assured that Treasury staff would continue authoring all public correspondence and making case decisions.

The AI tool, developed by the department’s data science experts, is intended to assist civil servants in responding to a significantly higher volume of inquiries promptly and efficiently.

However, the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has expressed concerns about the potential pitfalls of the AI tool.

PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote cautioned that the tool could be developed “on the cheap,” resulting in misinterpretations of correspondence. While the union does not oppose AI in principle, Heathcote emphasised that proper tool training requires substantial time and resources.

She added, “In anticipation of AI working well, staff numbers are cut, leading to the worst of all worlds: a poorly functioning AI system with too few humans left to address the resulting issues.”