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UK is paving the way for European government AI adoption

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Britain is way ahead of the global curve

Representation of AI
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  • 75% of UK public sector orgs use GenAI compared with 64% globally
  • Defense, healthcare and security sectors use it the most
  • Orgs are on the lookout for Chief Data and AI Officers

According to new research from Capgemini, Britain could actually be leading the AI adoption wave among European governments, with 75% of public sector organizations in the UK exploring or actively working with GenAI.

However, the same number of UK public sector orgs are also worried about generative AI's environmental impacts, with even more worried about data security and data sovereignty (78% each) and almost as many constrained by costs (68%).

Still, despite remaining apprehension, the UK is 11 percentage points ahead of the global average, where 64% of public sector organizations are exploring or using GenAI.

UK public sector is leading in GenAI adoption

Although the UK is currently ahead, it doesn't mean that the trend won't be challenged in the near future. As many as nine in 10 global public sector orgs plan to explore, pilot or implement agentic AI in the next two to three years.

With agentic AI marking the AI of tomorrow, Capgemini explored where today's AI, generative AI, is impacting most. Defense agencies (82%), healthcare (75%) and security sectors (70%) were among the highest adopters.

However, with such strict data privacy and security measures in place across the public sector, organizations are struggling to refine their own AI and are instead being forced to use off-the-shelf solutions. Only one-fifth (21%) say they have the necessary data to train and fine-tune AI models.

Moreover, just 12% feel very mature in activating data, and even fewer (7%) report maturity in data and AI skills. Capgemini Public Sector Global Industry Leader Marc Reinhardt summarized: "With rising citizen demands and stretched resources, public sector organizations recognize the ways in which AI can help them do more with less."

Looking ahead, 24% plan to appoint a Chief Data Officer and 41% plan to introduce a Chief AI Officer, on top of the 64% and 27% (respectively) that already have, bringing the number of public sector orgs with CDOs and CAIOs up to 88% and 68%.

Highlighting the importance of "the right data infrastructure," Reinhardt added: "Looking ahead, governments can be more agile and effective as AI augments the work of government employees to source information, conduct policy analysis, make decisions, and answer citizen queries."

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Craig Hale
Craig Hale

With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!

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