Government workers in the United Kingdom reported that using Microsoft 365 Copilot’s artificial intelligence tools for routine tasks saved them 26 minutes a day on average, which could free up roughly two weeks a year for other work.
The results come from a three-month trial including 20,000 civil service employees. Participating organizations included the UK’s Ministry of Justice, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero; a department overseeing welfare, pensions and child services; and others. The employees used the technology for tasks such as drafting documents, managing emails, scheduling meetings and creating presentations.
The study is part of a broader initiative to incorporate tech innovations into UK government operations in order to streamline work, save costs and improve the delivery of services to the British public.
UK Technology Secretary Peter Kyle shared the trial results today alongside former Prime Minister Tony Blair at a keynote presentation at SXSW London.
“AI is changing the way government operates, helping us work smarter, reduce red tape, and make better use of taxpayers’ money,” Kyle said.
That sentiment is shared across the pond where Washington State Department of Commerce Director Joe Nguyen is embracing AI to boost productivity and performance in his organization. Nguyen, a former Microsoft manager, recently built his own AI assistant using OpenAI technology, allowing him to simplify the department’s contract compliance process, compressing days of staff work into minutes.
Nguyen last week told GeekWire that by delivering visible results within his own department, particularly with AI and project management tools, he hopes to demonstrate the value of innovation and set an example for other state agencies to follow.
“My goal isn’t just to make Commerce more effective, more efficient,” he said. “My goal is to make all of [state] government more effective and efficient.”
And employees will hopefully be willing participants.
The UK study found that workers liked using the new AI tools: 82% reported they would not want to give them up. Other findings showed that 17% of respondents said the Copilot tools led to no time savings, while 14% said it saved them an hour or more per day.
Workers provided comments on the technology, including feedback from employees with dyslexia and dyspraxia, which affects motor skills, who noted the tools made work easier and helped them deliver better results. Criticisms focused on concerns about the technology’s shortcomings in handling nuanced or complex information and data.
A story in the Financial Times noted that some other efforts to incorporate AI into UK government functions have generated criticism, including a police force initiative using predictive policing algorithms to predict where crime is likely to happen. Critics said the technology will reinforce racism and biases.
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