Data Bites | Local AI, done right

Tom Smith, Director of a newly created AI directorate at MHCLG, highlighted the Prime Minister’s quote in response to the recent AI Opportunities Action Plan – ‘Artificial Intelligence is the defining opportunity of our generation, and core to delivering the government’s missions’.

He also explored reports from organisations including the Tony Blair Institute about savings in time and money that AI could help make. Pilots were starting to show that savings could be made, and he highlighted digital planning (presented at a previous Data Bites) as one exemplar. AI could also be used to help speed up planning consultation processes.

Tom made the case that while AI is the opportunity of our time, it’s not magic. It requires thoughtful implementation, trusted infrastructure, and yes, good data – but also policy, procurement power, and plenty of collaboration.

Tom Smith delivering his data bites presentation next to a screen that reads "harness the power of AI for the public good".

Kate Marks delivers her presentation while showing a screen with key outcomes of the project she is discussing

Tracking environmental harm in real time

Kate Marks talked about a new digital service they’ve just launched for reporting environmental incidents at the Environment Agency

Tom Parry delivering his presentation at data bites

Digital sustainability in UK government

Tom Parry gave us an overview of efforts within the department and UK government more widely around digital sustainability.

Alex Blandford introduces his presentation in front of a screen that reads "warning: this work is anthropological in nature"

You can’t API your way out of politics

Alex Blandford shows his qualitative research into civic technologists, painting them as “radicalised nerds” trying to fix broken systems.

Factchecking as data

Andy Dudfield, head of AI at Full Fact talked about the importance of factchecking and thinking about factchecking as data.