Tech panel appointed to shape UK government’s 10-year digital vision
The UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has appointed a panel of 12 digital experts to “help the government make better use of technology across the public sector”.
The group, which includes professionals from the private sector and academics, will help create a 10-year vision for the new ‘digital centre of government’ to “drive innovation, transform services, improve lives, and unlock the full potential of digital and data”.
The move follows the transfer of the three central digital agencies – the Government Digital Service (GDS), the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) and the Incubator for AI (i.AI) – from the Cabinet Office to DSIT in July, just days after the Labour government was elected.
DSIT said the group, which will be co-chaired by tech entrepreneur Baroness Martha Lane Fox and chair of the Central Digital and Data Office Paul Willmott, will help the government plan changes to how technology is used across public services in a bid to “cut backlogs, improve service outcomes and make government services more accessible”.
Read more: UK digital chiefs emphasise the need for data foundations to unlock government transformation
‘Centre for digital government’
Announcing the panel, AI and digital government minister Feryal Clark said: “Poor technology slows down public services too often, when new tools should be cutting waiting lists and taking the burden from citizens and the taxpayer. That is why DSIT has become the centre for digital government.
“We will be bold in our plans with this new responsibility, and the external expertise we are bringing in to advise us will help deliver on our shared ambitions to improve public services and drive sustainable growth that works for everyone.”
Poppy Gustafson, the founder of cybersecurity firm Darktrace and one of the panel members, commented: “It should be as easy to get support from public services as it now is to book a taxi ride or order your shopping online, and there is a huge opportunity for government to make greater use of technology to better serve citizens. Digital and AI can make government more human-scale, with personalised public services that put power in citizens’ hands, and gives people faster access to help and advice.”
The other panel members are:
- Jeni Tennison, founder and executive director of Connected by Data
- Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, CEO of Stemettes
- Lou Cordwell, professor of innovation at the University of Manchester
- Aaron Maniam, fellow of practice and director, digital transformation education, Blavatnik School of Government
- David Eaves, co-deputy director and associate professor at UCL
- Sarah Hunter, technology policy advisor and former director of global public policy at ‘X the Moonshot Factory’
- Lisa Harrington, tech and growth advisor
- Josie Cluer, partner, people consulting, EY
- Lord Richard Allan, technology adviser
AI roadmap
The recent Digital Leaders 2024 report published by Global Government Forum in partnership with Cognizant set out key steps that the UK government should take to capitalise on the potential of AI. It is based on interviews with 10 digital leaders in government about their perceptions of the UK’s performance on AI.
The report called the decision to consolidate GDS, CDDO and i.AI within DSIT “an excellent first step”.
“The lack of clear leadership around the AI agenda so far has hampered progress,” the report states. “With a new single voice established, this is the perfect moment to set out a clear, coherent and influential AI roadmap.”
Recommendations include publishing a vision for AI use across the whole government by the end of 2024 and introducing a £100m (US$132m) funding pot administered by DSIT to identify and scale up promising AI innovations for use in government.
Read more: Download the Digital Leaders 2024 report
About Sarah Wray
Sarah has over 15 years’ experience as a journalist with a specialism in the public sector and topics such as digitalisation and climate action. Sarah was formerly the editor of Cities Today and Smart Cities World, as well as a specialist video-based publication in the aerospace sector. She has also written for publications including Smart Cities Dive, Mobile Europe, Mobile World Live and Computer Weekly.
Stories like this literally makes my blood boil.
On the surface, this sounds great. Who wouldn’t want top tech talent working to improve our public services? But as someone who’s been in the trenches of digital transformation, I can’t help but feel we’re missing a crucial piece of the puzzle.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m all for leveraging expertise to enhance our public sector. But here’s the rub: time and again, we see governments chasing headlines by recruiting big names, while overlooking the battle-hardened experts who’ve been tackling these issues day in, day out – walking the walk, not just talking the talk, unlike the same old gong hunters hobnobbing with government ministers over canapés and dinners.
At Beyond, we’ve rolled up our sleeves and gotten our hands dirty working with organisations on the very issues the government is trying to solve. With one client, by optimising supply and demand data, we’ve cut waiting times and increased efficiency in ways that translate to real-world impact—literally saving lives. And we’re not alone—there are firms out there with similar stories to tell.
The government’s initiative could be truly transformative if they widened their net. By all means, bring in the visionaries and innovators. But pair them with the companies who’ve navigated the bureaucratic mazes, who’ve developed solutions that work within real-world constraints.
Imagine the potential if we combined the blue-sky thinking of tech giants with the hard-won insights of specialised experts. We could create a digital transformation that’s not just ambitious, but actually achievable and sustainable.
So, here’s my challenge to the new digital centre: don’t just aim for headlines. Aim for results. Tap into the wealth of expertise that’s right here, ready and waiting. Bring everyone to the table.
Because when it comes to improving public services, we can’t afford to leave any expertise untapped. And this government, for all its grandstanding, needs to stop following the same script with new Labour luvvies. It’s time for a digital transformation that’s grounded in reality. The future of our public services depends on it.
Paul Alexander, CEO, Beyond: Putting Data to Work