Government workers in the UK used AI to do their jobs, here is what they found
A recent trial involving 20,000 civil service workers in the UK has found that artificial intelligence tools, when integrated into daily workflows, can save government employees an average of 26 minutes a day, equivalent to roughly 13 working days a year. 'The objective of this experiment was to understand the value that an AI tool such as M365 Copilot would bring when deployed across a large portion of the UK government. Value was defined as improvements in efficiency, task completion rates, and overall user satisfaction,' the report reads.advertisementThe findings are part of a three-month pilot conducted across several government departments, including the Ministry of Justice, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and agencies handling welfare, pensions and child services. The initiative tested Microsoft 365 Copilot, an AI assistant built into Microsoft tools such as Word, Outlook, Teams, Excel, and PowerPoint.Participants used Copilot to manage routine tasks like drafting documents, replying to emails, setting up meetings and preparing presentations. According to the final study, 'trial participants saved an average of 26 minutes a day when using M365 Copilot.'
The trial was launched as part of a broader push to modernise government operations and explore how new technologies could increase efficiency and reduce bureaucracy. UK Technology Secretary Peter Kyle presented the findings at SXSW London, noting that artificial intelligence has the potential to 'help us work smarter, reduce red tape, and make better use of taxpayers' money.'advertisementThe report showed a high level of satisfaction among users, with 'user sentiment overwhelmingly positive, with 82 per cent expressing they would not want to return to their pre-Copilot working conditions.' Additionally, 'over 70 per cent of users agreed that M365 Copilot reduced time spent searching for information, performing mundane tasks, and increased time spent on more strategic activities.'That said, the trial also revealed challenges and limitations. Some users raised concerns over security and data handling, especially when dealing with sensitive or complex material. As noted in the report, 'perceived concerns with security and the handling of sensitive data led to reduced benefits in a minority of cases. Limitations were observed when dealing with complex, nuanced, or data-heavy aspects of work.'Still, the majority of feedback was optimistic. The experiment reported high engagement levels, with '39 per cent of users using it multiple times a day, and a further 43 per cent using it at least multiple times a week.' Satisfaction scores also reflected this enthusiasm, with users rating their overall experience at 7.7 out of 10, and 8.2 out of 10 for recommending the tool to others.The AI assistant was most frequently used within Microsoft Teams, which saw the highest adoption rate of 71 per cent. However, adoption was notably lower for other tools: Excel peaked at 23 per cent and PowerPoint at 24 per cent. Usage of Word and Outlook declined slightly toward the end of the experiment, while Copilot Chat showed a small recovery after a brief dip.advertisementThe trial found that 'results were consistent across grades and professions, with differences observed in how the tool was used and where benefits were realised.' Some employees with conditions like dyslexia and dyspraxia also found the AI tools especially helpful, enabling them to complete work more effectively.While 'only 17 per cent [of users] did not notice any clear time savings,' more than a third of respondents reported saving over 30 minutes a day. The study concludes that if such results were applied across the wider civil service, the time saved could significantly improve productivity and free up workers for higher-value tasks.
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