The UK is testing Microsoft AI with government workers – and it’s saving almost 30 mins a day
Over 20,000 civil servants have been using AI technology over the last three months to draft documents, summarise meetings, and more, as part of a new trial.
The trial, which is being led by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, shows government workers could save two weeks each annually by using the technology.
This is the equivalent of giving 1,130 people a full year back – every year – to focus on higher-value tasks, innovation or public service impact, rather than admin-based work – with the potential for this to rise significantly if used across the entire civil service, transforming productivity and public service delivery at scale, the department said.
The trial found that using generative AI such as Microsoft 365 Copilot to assist with everyday tasks – including drafting documents, summarising lengthy emails, updating records, and preparing reports – saved users an average of 26 minutes per day.
At Companies House, staff use Copilot to handle routine customer queries and speed up tasks like drafting responses and updating records. At the Department for Work and Pensions, work coaches are using it to personalise advice for jobseekers – helping them get faster, more tailored support.
“AI is the most transformative technology of our time and we’re already seeing its potential to reshape public service delivery. Whether that’s DWP work coaches helping more jobseekers into work, local authorities improving social care for the most vulnerable in society or NHS clinicians with more time to see patients, the potential is profound,” said Darren Hardman, CEO of Microsoft UK.
“As a strategic technology partner to the UK government, we have an amazing opportunity to help improve both the quality of the services people receive and the way they access them. This could unlock new levels of growth, efficiency, and innovation for the country,” he said.
“The government’s Microsoft 365 Copilot experiment shows what’s possible when people are empowered with the right tools: 26 mins per day (almost two weeks per year) less time on admin, more time delivering what matters. And the really exciting part is, this is just the beginning.”
