AI tools expedite government feedback, but experts caution against risks

An AI tool is designed to sift through vast amounts of government consultation responses and accurately interpret public sentiment.

UK Technology Secretary Peter Kyle stated: “No one should waste time on tasks that AI can handle faster and more effectively, nor should millions in taxpayer funds be spent outsourcing such work to external contractors.

This digital tool, aptly named 'Consult,' has successfully passed its first major trial with the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government gave Consult a challenging initial task: to analyze public feedback on regulating non-surgical cosmetic procedures like lip fillers and laser hair removal. The AI's findings closely matched the analysis compiled by human officials.

The government now plans to deploy this technology across various departments. The current manual process is costly and slow, with millions of pounds often paid to external contractors just to analyze public opinion.

Consult is part of a broader initiative to create a more efficient and responsive UK government—one capable of delivering its 'Plan for Change' without excessive cost or delay.

So, how did it perform in Scotland? Consult processed over 2,000 responses. Using generative AI, it identified key themes and concerns emerging from the feedback across six central questions.

Of course, Consult did not operate entirely autonomously. Scottish Government experts reviewed and refined these initial themes. The AI then categorized individual responses accordingly, freeing up officials to focus on interpreting the findings and their policy implications.

As this was Consult's first live deployment, the Scottish Government also manually reviewed every single response for verification. Interpreting written comments and categorizing them can be subjective; even human analysts don't always agree.

When comparing Consult's work to human analysis, the AI was correct the vast majority of the time. Minor discrepancies did not alter the overall understanding of the public's primary concerns.

Consult is a component of a larger AI suite called 'Humphrey'—a set of digital tools designed to reduce administrative burdens on civil servants and cut contractor costs. This effort supports a wider vision to use technology to streamline public services, targeting £45 billion in productivity savings for a more agile government.

“After demonstrating such promising results, Humphrey will help us reduce the costs of governance and improve our ability to gather and thoroughly review input from experts and the public on crucial issues,” Kyle added.

“The Scottish Government has taken a bold first step. Very soon, I will be using Consult within Humphrey in my own department, and other Whitehall departments will follow—accelerating our work to deliver the Plan for Change.”

In Scotland, Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “The tool was highly beneficial in helping the Scottish Government more quickly grasp what people wanted to communicate and the spectrum of their views.

“Using this tool has enabled us to proceed more rapidly to focusing on policy questions and delving into the details of the evidence, while remaining confident that we have captured the strong opinions expressed by respondents.”

Naturally, as with many government AI projects, this is an early stage, and Consult remains in an official trial phase. Further analysis and testing are planned to ensure its reliability before any decision on a full-scale rollout.

The potential, however, is significant. With the government conducting around 500 consultations annually, Consult could save an estimated 75,000 days of analysis work per year if successful.

What was the reaction from the civil servants who used it? They were reportedly “pleasantly surprised,” finding the AI's initial analysis a “useful starting point.” Others praised it for saving “a tremendous amount of time” and allowing them to “reach the analysis and determine next steps” much faster.

Interestingly, some officials felt Consult introduced a new level of impartiality. One noted that its use “reduces bias and increases consistency,” preventing individual analysts from letting their “own preconceptions” influence the results.

Some consultations receive tens or even hundreds of thousands of responses. Given Consult's promising early performance, its application to these large-scale exercises may not be far off.

It is important to note that human oversight remains integral. Consult is designed to keep experts involved at every stage. Officials will always review the AI's suggested themes and categorizations, using an interactive dashboard to filter and search for specific insights. The goal is for AI to handle the heavy lifting, allowing humans to focus on strategic thinking.

Experts urge caution regarding AI use in government

This shift toward AI in the public sector is being closely monitored by experts.

Stuart Harvey, CEO of Datactics, commented: “Using AI to accelerate public consultations is an excellent example of technology boosting efficiency and saving money. However, AI is only as reliable as the data it's built on. For such tools to perform well and fairly, government departments must ensure their data is accurate, current, and properly managed.

“Public trust in AI-informed decisions is essential. This requires transparent, well-governed, and ethical processes. Poor data quality or management can lead to biased or unreliable outcomes.

“As the government expands its use of AI in public services, investing in robust data practices is critical. This includes establishing clear data systems, ensuring data is accessible for review, and maintaining human involvement in key decisions—particularly when gauging public opinion.”

Academics share this perspective. Professor Michael Rovatsos of the University of Edinburgh acknowledges the benefits but also cautions wisely about risks like AI bias and potential manipulation. He advocates for strong safeguards and continuous investment to ensure any government-used AI tool remains reliable and fair.

Stuart Munton, Chief for Group Operations at AND Digital, added: “The government's use of AI to expedite public consultations is a positive move toward smarter, more efficient services. However, as AI adoption grows, we must ensure people—not just technology—remain central to this transformation.

“Tools like this will only achieve their full potential if we invest in equipping public sector teams with the right skills and training. Empowering a diverse workforce to use AI will improve tool performance and ensure innovation aligns with real-world needs.”

If implemented correctly with these expert considerations in mind, AI tools like Consult could fundamentally improve how governments listen to, learn from, and formulate policy based on public input. The UK government is moving swiftly, with plans to integrate Consult across various departments by the end of 2025.

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