Not only did Digital Leaders bring the 'Public Services in the Age of AI' Conference to Manchester on the 17th October, but it did so on an unusually sunny day. The Lowry Theatre in Salford was buzzing with optimism at the start of this forward-thinking and collaborative event.
THEMIS 5.0 had the pleasure of being represented by Laura Gavrilut from 21c Consultancy, who reported that the event provided a truly interactive day, filled with motivating talks by an engaging speaker line up, aimed to inspire everyone in the AI revolution.
The conference was moderated by Prof. Mark Thompson and Prof. Alan Brown: two renowned and engaging hosts. "It was a privilege to listen and learn from the very best" said Laura. The Director of Technology of UK Civil Service Jo Miller, kicked off the conference with a strong opening keynote speech and an intriguing question: How do we approach the future when it’s already here?

The first panel discussion, AI and Public Services, brought together Ms. Laura Gilbert - Director of AI Lab at No. 10 Downing Street, Mr. David Lawton – CIO at Informed Solutions and Mr. Simon King – Head of AI at Department of Work and Pensions. They all expounded the massive potential of using AI for public services. Mr. King argued that AI can help the end users obtain a quick reply from public organisations, nevertheless it will still be necessary to keep human actors in the loop for some decisions.
He also noted that the AI tools created for the DWP will not replace the jobs of employees, but instead the tools will amplify them. AI will allow the employees to focus on their actual job rather than doing a mundane task of reading and sorting forms.
Relevent for the work of THEMIS, it was suggested that when developing AI chatbots developers should focus on:
Creating a user centred design, with attention on user needs and concerns
Data and see if the data are ready to be used
Making sure the challenges of AI are tackled early
Chatbots should be tested internally in public services and only afterwards scaled-up and be used by the wider public; AI uptake should be motivated by public value and not just innovating per se. When using AI driven applications for public services, the public needs a quick response as well as full transparency as to when AI is being used (which is becoming increasingly important as AI becomes more effective at mimicking human interactions). When creating AI applications for public services, developers need to account for our ageing population and identify smarter ways to deliver services that are suitable for all age groups.
Alongside the intriguing panel discussions was a Lightning Pitch Session where 5 winners of the ‘AI Innovations of the Year’ award presented their solutions via 3-minute pitches, followed by an anonymous audience vote. Salford City Council’s AI solution was ultimately merited as the most innovative and effective solution.
Alongside these events were a series of Fireside Chats. A particularly interesting one which caught Laura's imagination was when Ms. Nijma Khan – Director of Faculty AI, was in conversation with Prof. Mark Thompson. Ms. Khan explained the advantages of focusing on user-friendly technology and the importance of the reusability and replication of solutions through the public domain. For example, a successful AI-based tool developed for Law Enforcement Agencies may be suitable for other public departments and thus it should be able to be used in order to reduce costs and increase the impact of the technology.
The main takeaway from the conference for THEMIS 5.0 was that by exploring the ethical, practical, and transformative dimensions of AI as an ecosystem, we really can reshape the interaction between government and citizens, making public services more efficient, responsive, inclusive and critically 'retain their compassion'.
“AI and public services using AI are currently like a bubble, and eventually the bubble will pop, but it is important to see what will remain after the pop of the bubble, what will continue to shape our future. By focusing on real-world value, addressing challenges proactively and embracing collaboration, digital leaders can harness the power of AI to drive meaningful change and achieve their digital ambitions.” Alan Brown
Comments