AI
It’s still difficult to predict public sector AI adoption Alongside great opportunity, there are risks (such as made-up content – hallucinations – bias and new cyber threats) and the pace is dictated by two key factors (identified in Digital Trends research). 1. Our capability and capacity to take on complex AI projects: given other pressing priorities and challenges and limited AI experience. Projects are emerging in specific and bounded applications, such as health diagnostics, social care and customer service. 2. Compliance and regulatory concerns: data quality, procurement policies, risks of bias, transparency of algorithms and concerns about liabilities. Think your organisation is avoiding AI? You’re not. Are you (or do you know) a Shadow AI user? You and your colleagues could be using Shadow AI without realising it. Shadow AI refers to AI tools or systems used within an organisation without official approval or oversight from IT or governance teams. Salford City Council’s Afsha Zeb (Cyber Governance, Risk and Compliance Engineer) lists some real-world examples in her blog post ‘Shadow AI in the public sector: innovation
A single breach could compromise residents’ data and erode confidence in digital services without oversight?’. This includes: drafting case notes or internal documents using ChatGPT; copy-pasting sensitive or personal data into public-facing tools for analysis; using image or speech generators for accessibility without audit trails; and purchasing AI-enhanced tools without ICT or procurement involvement. What can you do? Afsha has tackled this exact question: “You can’t afford to ignore it. But banning AI won’t work, it will simply drive it further underground. Instead, we need a mature, strategic response: one that acknowledges the innovation already happening and guides it safely.” Read her 6 steps to managing Shadow AI in your organisation. Where works when thinking about and using AI 1. To maintain public trust, avoid falling for supplier and consultant hype. AI takes E
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