How governments can work with automation and AI
Governments around the world are examining the potential to use technologies like artificial intelligence and automation to speed up the delivery of public services by reducing the need for staff to undertake repetitive tasks to both improve service delivery and reduce costs.
However, implementation of such new technologies is often difficult in government, where introducing changes to existing systems or getting funding for capital investment can often be difficult.
This session looked at both real life examples of where government departments and agencies have used automation and AI to unlock improvements in public services, and how they did it.
Join this session to find out:
- Where in government automation and AI can be used – from automating tasks to analysing data
- The advantages and challenges to implementing automation and AI in government
- Examples of how government has implemented AI and the benefits of use
Panel
Christos Sarakinos, Director, Data Science Division, Statistics Canada
Christos Sarakinos is the Director of the Data Science Division at Statistics Canada, where he leads efforts in the areas of data science solution delivery, capacity development and research. Growing up in the private sector, Christos held a variety of roles centered on accelerating the adoption of new semiconductor technologies. Between 2014 and 2021, he worked to stimulate collaborative research and development in the areas of advanced analytics, natural language processing and machine learning at the National Research Council of Canada. He also served as senior policy advisor at the Privy Council Office of Canada developing advice related to big tech. Christos holds an undergraduate degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Waterloo, as well as a graduate degree in management strategy from the John Molson School of Business.
Tom Dan, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Israel
Tom Dan is the Deputy Director General of the Israeli Ministry for Innovation, Science and Technology, and is a board member of the Israeli Innovation Authority (the IIA). As part of his role, he leads the Israeli government’s work on setting up a national strategy on Artificial Intelligence (including regulation, ethics, and implementation of AI in the government’s work). He also works on advancing the human capital in the Israeli tech sector and fulfilling the government’s target to bring up the labor force participation in the tech sector to 15% of the total workforce.
Prior to his joining the ministry Tom was a senior manager at the consulting firm McKinsey, focusing on tech and serving in their New York and Tel Aviv offices. Before that he was the senior international editor of The Huffington Post, an online publication, and led its 13 international editions. Tom has a BA in Economics from Harvard College (Magna Cum Laude) and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Originally from Holon, he now lives in Tel Aviv with his partner and enjoys rowing and reading about physics.
Jeremy Darot, Head of Artificial Intelligence, The Scottish Government
Jeremy is the Head of Artificial Intelligence at the Scottish Government, he is passionate about AI, particularly the potential it has to improve the lives of the people of Scotland. In this role he is helping guide the country to become a leader in the development and use of trustworthy, ethical and inclusive AI. Jeremy’s experience spans over 20 years across industry, academia and government including aeronautics and astronautics at MIT, computational biology at the University of Cambridge and most recently as Head of Data Innovation at the Scottish Government.
Harry Farmer, Researcher, Ada Lovelace Institute
Harry Farmer is a researcher at the Ada Lovelace Institute where he works to explore ethical and policy questions posed by new and emerging uses of data and AI. He currently leads ‘AI and Genomics Futures’, a two year, mixed-methods project being conducted in partnership with the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, dedicated to understanding how AI is set to change genomic science and the potential political, economic and societal ramifications of any such changes. Prior to joining Ada, he worked as a senior policy adviser at Nesta, where he developed and advocated for policies to make the UK’s innovation economy fairer, more inclusive and more conducive to the public good. He has also worked in regulatory bodies, think tanks and in public affairs.
Webinar chair: Siobhan Benita, former UK senior civil servant
Siobhan Benita was a senior civil servant with over 15 years’ Whitehall experience. She worked in many of the major delivery departments, including Transport, Environment, Health and Local Government. She also had senior roles at the heart of Government in the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, including supporting the then Cabinet Secretary, Lord O’Donnell to lead work on Civil Service reform and strategy. Siobhan left the Civil Service to run as an independent candidate in the Mayor of London election. She subsequently joined her alma mater, Warwick University as Chief Strategy Officer of Warwick in London and Co-Director of the Warwick Policy Lab.
