The Ministry of Defence is to create a ‘productivity portfolio’ to identify and track possible use cases of emerging technology – including chatbots and other forms of generative artificial intelligence.
The department hopes that the initiative will help in “improving its productivity and… break down the barriers to productive working”, according to minister for defence procurement and industry Maria Eagle.
She added that the project will be “actively investigating opportunities to drive productivity through the use of AI and the effective use of data while rigorously managing the risk of using these capabilities to support human analysis and decision making”.
The minister cited several specific forms of automation technology and possible use cases where the MoD sees potential for deployment.
“This includes using informational chatbots, machine learning applications and generative AI to automate and accelerate routine business operations and policy work; through to defence-specific opportunities driven by data to enhance the speed of decision-making, optimise logistics or increase the availability of military capabilities,” she said.
Eagle, who was answering a written parliamentary question from fellow Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, said the MoD’s investigations of new technology will be guided by various guidance documents published by government’s digital and data expert bodies.
“We draw on a range of resources, published on GOV.UK, to inform our AI and data usage. For example, the Generative AI Framework, the Data Maturity Assessment, the Ethics, Transparency and Accountability Framework, and the Data Ethics Framework,” Eagle said. “The department also has access to the Central Digital and Data Office, based in the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, for expert advice. We will continue to regularly review our usage of AI and data to maximise productivity benefits for staff and the public.”
News of the productivity portfolio comes shortly after it was revealed that the new Labour administration plans to create a new plan to boost productivity across the civil service, including “bold options” for the use of digital technologies.
Meanwhile, a variety of changes will deliver “the biggest reform of the Ministry of Defence in over 50 years” and will promote better and more innovative use of digital and data across the department, according to a recently announced government plan.