Local governments face challenges in AI procurement, lacking clear guidance from central authorities.
- A recent report highlights 16 pieces of AI legislation from 2010-2024, revealing gaps in implementation at local levels.
- The Ada Lovelace Institute emphasizes the absence of transparency and fairness guidelines in AI adoption for public services.
- Procurers in the public sector need confidence in AI purchases, with ethical processes crucial to avoid severe risks.
- Effective assessment of safety and quality in AI technologies by local governments is imperative to maintain public trust.
A recent report from the Ada Lovelace Institute underscores the challenges faced by local governments regarding the procurement of new AI technologies for public service use. Despite optimistic projections by central government figures on the integration of AI within the public sector, local authorities find themselves lagging in terms of effective implementation.
The Ada Lovelace Institute’s research assessed 16 different AI-related guidelines and legislative pieces passed between 2010 and 2024. The findings suggest a noticeable lack of clear instructions specific to local government needs, particularly in ensuring transparency and fairness in AI applications. Inadequate guidance in these areas remains a significant bottleneck for local authorities.
Imogen Parker, associate director at the Ada Lovelace Institute, stated, “Procurement can and should be a key lever in ensuring that AI tools being used by local government are safe, effective, fair and in the public interest.” Her comments stress the importance of local government procurers having confidence in the AI products they adopt. Such confidence is vital to protect both the public and the procurers themselves from potential risks.
The necessity of embedding a robust, ethical procurement process, even amidst budget constraints, is a pressing concern. Parker warned of the consequences of neglecting this need, which could lead to significant setbacks akin to the “Post Office’s Horizon scandal.”
Furthermore, the institute argues that because most AI technologies are developed by the private sector, it is crucial for local governments to evaluate these technologies thoroughly. Anna Studman, a senior researcher at the Institute, warned, “AI and data-driven systems can severely damage public trust and reduce public benefit if the predictions or outcomes they produce are discriminatory, harmful or simply ineffective.”
Studman elaborates that procurement provides a significant opportunity for local authorities to scrutinize suppliers concerning the societal impacts of their technologies. This assessment process is essential to ensuring the responsible adoption and integration of AI tools in public service environments.
Local governments must overcome procurement challenges to harness AI effectively and ethically in public services.
