UK civil servants submit record number of ideas for AI & Data Challenge
Applications to the Civil Service AI & Data Challenge have surged by 160% in a year, demonstrating civil servants’ growing enthusiasm for harnessing digital and AI technologies.
The challenge is a partnership programme run by the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the Cabinet Office, Global Government Forum, and NTT DATA UK&I, a global provider of AI, digital business and IT services.
UK civil servants are invited to put forward ideas for using data and AI to improve government’s systems and services; then interdisciplinary, cross-departmental teams are built around the most promising proposals, and they pitch their ideas to a judging panel of departmental chief information officers.
The winner is awarded £50,000 worth of development support by NTT DATA UK&I, putting it on the road to implementation.
In this edition of the challenge, civil servants submitted 252 ideas, compared to 97 last year. The previous record was 190 in 2021, the challenge’s first year of operation.
Civil servants ‘leading the charge’
The rise in applications was welcomed by Aimee Smith, chief data officer for government, who has become one of the programme’s ‘champions’ alongside Liz Kendall, secretary of state for science, innovation and technology; Cat Little, civil service chief operating officer; and Emran Mian, permanent secretary of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
UK minister for digital government and data, Ian Murray, said: “We are delivering national renewal by bringing public services into the modern age with fresh ideas.
“It’s really encouraging to see civil servants leading that charge – proposing innovative ways to leverage AI and data which will help us support businesses, crack down on benefit fraud, and cut waiting lists.”
Among the departments, civil servants working for the Department for Work and Pensions – the biggest employer in government – put forward the most ideas, and joint second were HMRC and Defra.
Alongside the record numbers of ideas submitted, this year’s challenge also saw the highest ever number of civil servants volunteering to join a project team, with 339 colleagues putting themselves forward.
David Filmer, managing director, UK&I public sector at NTT DATA, commented: “I’m incredibly proud that the Civil Service AI & Data Challenge has attracted record numbers this year, highlighting the incredible talent and capability across the civil service.
“At NTT DATA UK&I, we greatly value our partnership with the public sector and we’re passionate about supporting initiatives like this that foster innovation, collaboration, and the responsible use of data and AI to deliver better outcomes for citizens.”
Judges will announce which eight ideas will go forward within the programme in the new year.
Read more: For more information on the Civil Service AI & Data Challenge, see the dedicated website.
Winning opportunities
Previous winners have highlighted how the challenge has enabled them to contribute to national objectives, while developing their skills and careers.
Nick Tomline, Earth observation higher data scientist at Natural England, led the AI4Peat project that won the competition in 2022. Three years on, his team has created the UK’s first comprehensive map of peatland drainage networks using artificial intelligence.
“The AI4Peat project filled a critical national evidence gap,” Tomline explained in a recent Government Digital Service blog post. “Previously, mapping drainage systems in peat bogs was impossible at national scale due to manual mapping constraints. Our AI approach now enables us to prioritise restoration efforts for maximum environmental benefit.”
“We’ve created an end-to-end pipeline that gives Natural England and Defra capability to solve other geospatial problems at national scale,” he added. “The ‘AI4’ approach we pioneered is now being applied across other government use cases, offering substantial efficiency opportunities.”
In the 2024 competition, Project Constellation, led by John Saunders, a product manager at the Ministry of Justice, was the victor.
The aim of Project Constellation was to build a data platform providing a real-time, nationwide picture of the UK’s prison accommodation to help save officers’ time on the onerous task of allocating cells.
“The competition proved to be a catalyst for growth,” Saunders reflected. “I stepped outside my usual remit, took on unfamiliar challenges, and developed new skills – particularly in crafting compelling presentations for senior judge panels.”
He added that: “Winning created opportunities to connect with senior leaders across the civil service and exchange ideas in a collaborative, high-energy environment. It’s had a tangible impact on my career trajectory.”
Read more: Civil Service Data Challenge puts prison spaces management app on the path to delivery
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.
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