Driving public sector productivity with innovation and prototyping
Experts in the Incubator for AI (i.AI) are identifying and rapidly testing AI innovations that solve complex problems across the public sector. With products like Consult and Extract, they’re building the tools public servants need to work more efficiently and productively.
Our goal
AI transforms public services so they better serve the needs of citizens.
What this means for you
This initiative does not cover the whole UK. Whether it applies depends on the service and where it is available. The Devolved Governments decide how it will apply in their area.
- AI transformed public services: thanks to powerful AI tools designed to solve real problems, citizens will have a better experience using public services.
Our progress so far
February 2025: ran first live testing of Consult, a tool enabling better engagement with the public on consultations
Consult uses AI and data science techniques to extract patterns and themes from consultation responses, presenting them in a clear and accessible dashboard. Testing Consult with a live consultation from the Scottish Government, and subsequently with several other government consultations, has provided valuable insights to inform its wider rollout. The tool allows public sector workers to more easily analyse large volumes of feedback, enabling them to spend more time addressing citizens’ actual views on policy.
May 2025: developed Extract to modernise planning data
Extract is a collaboration between i.AI and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Once available, it’ll digitise planning documents to help build a faster, more transparent planning system for citizens. Early testing has shown that a task that takes 1-2 hours of manual work could now be completed by the tool, in under one minute.
July 2025: trialled Minute in frontline local services
Minute is an AI-powered transcription and summarisation tool, designed to help public sector workers focus on their conversations and spend less time note-taking. i.AI ran a trial with 400 users across 22 local authorities to test Minute’s capabilities and has been open-sourced to enable broader public sector innovation.
November 2025: pilot cutting edge suite of productivity tools
Five pilots in government teams were run to test i.AI productivity tools like Parlex, which is an AI-driven tool to help officials analyse parliamentary data, including Hansard transcripts, Parliamentary Questions and Select Committee materials. This will enable the potential to save 1000s of hours across the civil service, and allow a deeper level of research.
What we’re planning to do next
May 2026: make Extract available to all local authorities, laying the groundwork for a planning system fit for the 21st century
Following further testing and development, Extract will be made available to all local authorities in England. This will free up councils to focus on reviewing planning applications instead of manual data processing, saving time and money.
More information
For more information about this work, contact:
Incubator for AI (i.Ai)
Government Digital Service
i-dot-ai-enquiries@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
To find out about i.Ai’s current projects, visit ai.gov.uk/projects