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

Public services are under sustained pressure to do more with less, and artificial intelligence is now central to how government intends to respond. Since the AI Opportunities Action Plan set out its ambition for the UK to lead globally on AI, momentum has built fast: sovereign compute capacity is expanding, AI Growth Zones are taking shape, and a new "Local AI" team at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is working directly with councils to scale what's already working.

Yet AI adoption remains uneven. Most public sector organisations are experimenting with AI, but only a minority have moved beyond pilots into integration. Parliament's Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, 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. Councils and departments report the same practical blockers: legacy systems, data readiness, procurement complexity, and workforce confidence.

The Institute of Government & Public Policy's AI in Government Conference 2027 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. Last year's event was rated 4.4/5 for overall delegate satisfaction, with an average likelihood-to-recommend score of 8.2/10.

Join the Institute of Government & Public Policy in Manchester for the AI in Government Conference 2027, 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.