Starmer’s AI plan – Will it transform public services or cause new challenges?

The UK government has made an ambitious pledge to build 100,000 supercomputers by 2030 to establish Britain as a leader in AI. As the world’s third-largest AI market, this represents a real opportunity to boost our economy and improve public services. The potential is significant – from cutting NHS waiting lists to making our transport systems more efficient.

But there are significant hurdles to overcome. We’re facing a shortage of skilled workers and gaps in our data systems. The question is: can the UK overcome these challenges to make AI work effectively for everyone?

The real value of computing power

AI’s true value is more than computing power. With the correct implementation, AI can solve challenges faced by workers and organisations, from data analysis to explaining complex problems. For example, AI could revolutionise the NHS by making data accessible to researchers, unlocking breakthroughs in treatments and improving efficiency for service users.

When aligned with clear outcomes, AI can:

• Enhance efficiency across healthcare, manufacturing and technology sectors.
• Streamline administrative processes for public services
• Potentially add up to £232 billion to the UK economy by 2030 through productivity gains.

But the success of initiatives like these depends on ensuring they serve the public interest whilst driving economic growth. This is why it is important to move beyond the tech and consider the outcomes, leadership and strategy.

The talent challenge

Beyond hardware investment, the UK needs a skilled workforce. The solution isn’t simply to build more supercomputers, it’s about attracting, developing and retaining the right talent to integrate AI effectively within the public sector.

According to Salesforce, the public sector faces the widest AI skills gap of any industry, currently sitting at 60%. The public sector struggles to attract top AI talent, largely because many see it as less innovative and competitive than private companies. To change this, public organisations need to offer modern, flexible workplaces and clear career growth opportunities – in our experience at Anumana this is the best and more effective way to find and retain the truly best in class talent within AI development.

Implementing AI to overcome structural challenges

Rolling out AI across public services has revealed some major underlying problems. The public sector’s slow, complex purchasing processes make it hard to quickly adopt new technology. Many services are also running on outdated systems that don’t work well with modern AI tools. These issues are making it difficult to put AI to good use where it’s needed most. Yes, automation can make things faster and more efficient. But for it to really work, we need smart plans that help all our public services improve together, not just some parts racing ahead while others fall behind. NHS’ AI diagnostic tools and the HMRC’s machine learning fraud detection systems are both great examples of the potential of AI when collaboration and the correct use of tech are arranged.

The UK’s path towards AI transformation

The UK’s investment in AI could genuinely change how our public services work – but buying supercomputers is just the first step. To succeed, we need three key things: the right people making smart decisions about where to use AI, strong partnerships between tech experts and public service teams, and a clear plan for updating our older systems.

The technology is ready – now it’s about making smart choices in how we use it.

Ready to make AI work for your organisation?

We understand the challenges of implementing AI in complex organisations. Whether you’re dealing with legacy systems, data integration issues, or need help building AI capabilities from the ground up, our team can help bridge the gap between ambition and execution.

We work alongside your teams to:

• Design bespoke AI strategies that align with your specific needs
• Transform your data infrastructure to support modern AI tools
• Build custom AI solutions that deliver real results
• Develop your team’s capabilities through knowledge transfer and training

Get in touch with our team to explore how our proven approach can help you unlock the true potential of AI.