Britain to use "AI" to answer taxpayer's letters
The UK Treasury is using AI to manage taxpayer complaints, claiming a 30% productivity increase. However, the PCS union warns of miscommunication risks due to inadequate AI training and oversight.
Read original article
The UK Treasury is facing criticism over its decision to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) for managing taxpayer complaints. The AI tool, which has been in use for four months, summarizes letters and emails sent to the Treasury and suggests responses for civil servants. The government claims this innovation has increased productivity by 30% and reduced reliance on costly contractors. However, the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has raised concerns about the potential for miscommunication due to inadequate training of the AI system. The union's general secretary emphasized that proper training requires significant time and resources, warning that staff reductions could lead to a poorly functioning system with insufficient human oversight. The government has been promoting AI adoption across various departments, with over 70% of government bodies currently piloting AI tools. A report from the National Audit Office indicated that more than £101 million is allocated for AI projects by 2028-2029. This initiative comes amid ongoing struggles within Whitehall to meet customer service targets, as evidenced by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) abandoning thousands of calls last year. The government maintains that it is focused on delivering effective public services and will provide civil servants with the necessary tools to achieve this.
- The UK Treasury is implementing AI to handle taxpayer complaints, claiming increased productivity.
- The PCS union warns of potential miscommunication and inadequate training of the AI system.
- Over 70% of government bodies are piloting AI tools, with significant funding allocated for future projects.
- The initiative aims to address customer service challenges faced by government departments.
- The government asserts its commitment to improving public services through technological innovations.
Related
Public servants uneasy as government 'spy' robot prowls federal offices
Public servants in Gatineau are uneasy as a robot from the VirBrix platform optimizes workspaces by collecting data on air quality and light levels. Despite assurances, the Government Services Union expresses privacy concerns.
AI can't fix what automation already broke
Generative AI aids call center workers by detecting distress and providing calming family videos. Criticism arises on AI as a band-aid solution for automation-induced stress, questioning its effectiveness and broader implications.
Financial services shun AI over job and regulatory fears
Financial services are cautious about adopting AI due to job loss fears, regulatory hurdles, and resistance. Only 6% of retail banks are prepared for AI at scale, despite its potential benefits. Banks face challenges transitioning to digital processes and ensuring AI accuracy and security. Compliance and ethical considerations are crucial for successful AI integration in the financial sector.
77% of Employees Report AI Has Increased Workloads and Hampered Productivity
A global study shows C-suite executives optimistic about AI boosting productivity, but 77% of AI users face increased workload and productivity challenges. Integrating freelance talent can help address these issues. Leaders and employees are advised to invest in AI, collaborate with freelancers, and redefine productivity metrics for better outcomes and well-being.
Government shelves £1.3B UK tech and AI plans
The UK government has canceled £1.3 billion in funding for technology and AI projects, including an exascale supercomputer, citing budget constraints, while emphasizing the tech sector's importance to the economy.
15 commentsI think I just said random words until it put me through to some departmen and from there they had a normal call tree via which I got an unrelated human who could tell me who I actually needed to ask for. But I'm not looking forward to the day that no humans are in the loop and unanticipated circumstances are completely unresolvable.
I fear our AI future not because of evil but because of bureaucrats.
Any company that want's to use an LLM to do "customer service" needs to give it full access to accounts and systems, otherwise I fail to see how it's actually doing to make ANY difference, other than pissing people off. Now I don't advise you to do this, because that's stupid and dangerous, but if you don't it's basically just a search engine with a better query interface. But it fails even at that, remember the Canadian airline where the chatbot just straight up lies?
https://dftdigital.blog.gov.uk/2018/04/09/the-write-stuff-ho...
AI reads the letter, see if goes to the team dealing with X, Y, or Z, then it gets summarised and sent ready for answering.
I think in many ways this is the real story of AI: we have convinced the decision-makers of the world of the power of computing, but they don't know anything about computers, so they are wildly enthusiastic about a technology they understand - a program that makes a computer behave a little like a person.
(This isn't a complaint against AI.)
Related
Public servants uneasy as government 'spy' robot prowls federal offices
Public servants in Gatineau are uneasy as a robot from the VirBrix platform optimizes workspaces by collecting data on air quality and light levels. Despite assurances, the Government Services Union expresses privacy concerns.
AI can't fix what automation already broke
Generative AI aids call center workers by detecting distress and providing calming family videos. Criticism arises on AI as a band-aid solution for automation-induced stress, questioning its effectiveness and broader implications.
Financial services shun AI over job and regulatory fears
Financial services are cautious about adopting AI due to job loss fears, regulatory hurdles, and resistance. Only 6% of retail banks are prepared for AI at scale, despite its potential benefits. Banks face challenges transitioning to digital processes and ensuring AI accuracy and security. Compliance and ethical considerations are crucial for successful AI integration in the financial sector.
77% of Employees Report AI Has Increased Workloads and Hampered Productivity
A global study shows C-suite executives optimistic about AI boosting productivity, but 77% of AI users face increased workload and productivity challenges. Integrating freelance talent can help address these issues. Leaders and employees are advised to invest in AI, collaborate with freelancers, and redefine productivity metrics for better outcomes and well-being.
Government shelves £1.3B UK tech and AI plans
The UK government has canceled £1.3 billion in funding for technology and AI projects, including an exascale supercomputer, citing budget constraints, while emphasizing the tech sector's importance to the economy.