Not content to simply champion the artificial intelligence industry, the British government is entering the chatbot market with the launch of a business support AI assistant. 

Announced by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), GOV.UK Chat has launched in a limited trial to be tested by up to 15,000 businesses. UKTN and other publications have not been offered the chance to try the service.

According to DSIT, the government chatbot will provide help and advice to business users backed by the information on GOV.UK. 

The tool would be a first of its kind for governments, however, nations around the world have similarly been exploring ways to leverage generative AI in their public services. Canada, for example, is also at a trial stage of a government-backed chatbot. 

The generative AI chatbot was developed by an in-house team of data scientists and designers using OpenAI’s GPT-4o technology. The goal of the tool is to provide straightforward, personalised answers based on complex information. 

“Outdated and bulky government processes waste people’s time too often, with the average adult in the UK spending the equivalent of a working week and a half dealing with public sector bureaucracy every year,” said Technology Secretary Peter Kyle. 

“We are going to change this by experimenting with emerging technology to find new ways to save people time and make their lives easier, as we are doing with GOV.UK Chat. With all new technology, it takes time to get it right so we’re taking it through extensive trials with thousands of real users before it is used more widely. 

The trial for up to 15,000 users will determine the next steps for a potential larger-scale testing and ultimate full rollout of the service. 

The government first trialed the chatbot late last year with positive results. According to DSIT almost 70% of users in the first trial said the service was helpful. 

Experts from the AI Safety Institute have been consulting on the safeguarding measures implemented for the bot. 

DSIT has warned that, like other generative AI chatbots, its service will sometimes provide inaccurate results. 

The incorporation of AI technology into public services has been an ambition of the government, keen to find any way possible to cut inefficiencies. 

“This is an essential part of our ambition to use AI to improve public services in a safe and reliable way, making sure the UK Government leads by example in driving innovation forward,” added Kyle.  

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