Using AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot could save UK civil servants weeks every year

• Microsoft Copilot study claims major timesaving and productivity gains across UK government
• 20,000 civil servants gained access to Copilot, with striking results
• Timesaving amounted to around two weeks per person per year

Using AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot could help civil servants save weeks of work over the course of a year, new government research has claimed.

The UK government had 20,000 civil servants across 12 different organizations use Microsoft Copilot over the course of several months, using the service to draft documents, take meeting notes, search internal information, and even personalize recommendations to unemployed job seeker benefits claimants.

The study claimed to find major productivity and efficiency boosts from using Copilot, with the workers saving on average between 19 and 24 minutes per day — amounting to around two weeks per person per year.

Copilot timesaving

The study, which took place over September 30 to December 31 2024, says these savings were the equivalent of giving a full year back to 1,130 people, allowing them to focus on higher-value tasks rather than admin-based work.

“These findings show that AI isn’t just a future promise – it’s a present reality," commented Technology Secretary Peter Kyle.

“Whether it’s helping draft documents, preparing lesson plans, or cutting down on routine admin, AI tools are saving civil servants time every day. That means we can focus more on delivering faster, more personalised support where it really counts."

The study also signified the largest deployment of Microsoft Copilot in UK government to date, with workers utilizing the platform across the likes of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.

"AI is the most transformative technology of our time and we’re already seeing its potential to reshape public service delivery," noted Darren Hardman, CEO, Microsoft UK.

“This could unlock new levels of growth, efficiency, and innovation for the country. The Government’s Microsoft 365 Copilot experiment shows what’s possible when people are empowered with the right tools: 26 mins per day (almost 2 weeks per year) less time on admin, more time delivering what matters. And the really exciting part is, this is just the beginning.”

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