Peter Kyle is right to use ChatGPT – all ministers must embrace tech
London, UK. 18th Mar, 2025. Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, at the Cabinet meeting (Credit: Karl Black/Alamy Live News)
4 min read
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has hit the headlines after his use of ChatGPT was revealed. But he is right to take advantage of AI and his colleagues would do well to follow his lead.
At the Tony Blair Institute we have been talking about the potential of technology to transform government for years. Our people are supporting leaders in more than 40 countries around the globe to harness the power of technology, from using satellite-internet to bring education to rural Rwanda to helping the Philippines predict hurricanes.
It is gratifying to see the UK government begin to recognise the possibilities, not just in Peter Kyle’s use of ChatGPT but in Keir Starmer’s speech in Hull.
With an ageing and increasingly unwell population, the answer cannot just be more money every year
Our research has shown that up to £1bn a year and 40 per cent of civil servant time could be saved by the Department for Work and Pensions alone by properly deploying AI. Currently, case workers in Jobcentres spend as little as 10 minutes with each person, most of which is ticking boxes. Imagine the difference it would make to someone's employability and ambition if that was 30 minutes of compassionate career coaching.
While the Prime Minister sees the potential for incremental improvements within existing structures, a more radical shift is needed. We need a forward-thinking approach that reimagines governance in the digital age, integrating AI, data and digital identity into the fabric of public administration.
Picture a system where all your medical records are stored in one place – accessible to any healthcare providers with your consent, no matter where you are. Imagine a single digital wallet that securely holds your passport, driving license, and any other form of identification you need. This system, while enabling seamless payments, can also enhance data security and protect individuals from identity theft.
Now, consider the broader challenges of governance. One of the most pressing issues in immigration is the number of individuals working in the UK without legal authorisation.
Enforcement will remain haphazard while verification is dispersed and difficult. A single digital ID would make checks much easier and reduce the appeal of illicit work.
For the wider population it should lead to a more efficient, effective government. Adopting a digital ID could generate a net gain of about £2bn per year for the Exchequer by streamlining revenue collection and better targeting welfare payments.
Integrating National Health Service and Department for Work and Pensions data could enable tailored return-to-work programmes, improving productivity and public health. Linking planning, environmental and energy data could accelerate housing and green-energy. Integrating education data could identify links between pupils’ assessments and economic mobility, shaping more effective teaching strategies.
However, public-sector data often remains difficult for the government to access. The government needs to urgently deliver its manifesto pledge of a National Data Library to ensure data is used effectively to enhance governance and public services, while driving economic growth by fostering an AI ecosystem.
Government also needs fresh thinking: as the Prime Minister said, we need ‘the best of the best’. Sending teams into every department to enhance innovation is a step in the right direction, but the government must go further. Bringing leading talent into the civil service should be hugely simplified, with rapid hiring mechanisms and exemptions from restrictive pay controls.
Cutting NHS England was a strong, bold step. But the next stage is more important. With an ageing and increasingly unwell population, the answer cannot just be more money every year. We need fundamental reform. Layering a bit of efficiency onto the old structures will not be enough.
Britain must carve out a clear niche in the global tech landscape. This will require not just adoption of AI but a restructuring of policy around science and technology. The Prime Minister is pointing the way – now the country needs the disruption, and the delivery.
Sam Sharps is the executive director of policy at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
