How can artificial intelligence be harnessed to deliver smarter, fairer, and more efficient public services? 

As demand on public services continues to rise, governments at both local and national levels are under increasing pressure to modernise delivery, reduce inefficiencies, and improve outcomes for citizens. Artificial intelligence is rapidly emerging as a critical enabler of public sector reform, offering new ways to transform decision-making, automate processes, and deliver more responsive, data-driven services. 

The UK Government has committed over £1 billion to AI development through its National AI Strategy, with a clear focus on the safe, transparent, and responsible adoption of AI across central government departments and local authorities. However, the UK Parliament’s Science, Innovation and Technology Committee report, The Use of AI in Government, highlights persistent challenges around strategic coordination, governance, and capability, calling on government to lead by example in developing trustworthy, ethical, and inclusive AI systems. 

In January 2025, the government published the AI Opportunities Action Plan, setting out its ambition to position the UK as a global leader in artificial intelligence. From expanding sovereign compute capacity by 20× by 2030, to piloting AI across public services, establishing AI Growth Zones, and unlocking public sector data through a National Data Library, the plan signals a strong pro-innovation and pro-growth agenda. Yet despite this momentum, adoption across the public sector remains uneven, with many organisations still grappling with legacy systems, skills shortages, procurement complexity, data readiness, and public trust. 

Taking place in central London, the Institute of Government & Public Policy's National AI in Government Conference 2026 will bring together senior leaders from central and local government, policy-makers, digital transformation leads, and technology providers to explore how AI can be deployed responsibly and effectively within the public sector.  

Join the Institute of Government & Public Policy's AI in Government Conference 2026, and explore how AI is already reshaping policy-making, service delivery, and citizen interaction. Don't miss out, secure your place at the conference today.