Eight months after the UK government entered a memorandum of understanding with OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, to leverage artificial intelligence in addressing significant societal challenges, there has been little progress in actual trials utilizing the technology. A recent freedom of information (FoI) request revealed that the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has not conducted any trials as stipulated in the agreement, which was intended to explore the deployment of advanced AI models within both government and the private sector.
The DSIT acknowledged in its response that it held no information regarding any trials and confirmed that no initiatives under the memorandum with OpenAI had taken place. In a statement to the Guardian, the department highlighted a separate agreement enabling the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to use ChatGPT, which includes an option for UK-based data storage. However, critics argue that implementing ChatGPT in a single department does not reflect the broader ambitions laid out in the MoU.
Tarek Nseir, CEO of Valliance, the AI consultancy that filed the FoI, expressed concern over the apparent lack of momentum, saying, “Either there’s been a huge failure in execution, or it was a failure of intent in my view.” He emphasized that while some pockets of government are indeed engaging with AI technologies, the results remain scant. “Rolling out ChatGPT in a department hardly reflects the ambition of the MoU,” he added, warning against equating sporadic usage with a strategic relationship.
The MoJ’s use of ChatGPT is part of a broader initiative known as the AI Action Plan for Justice, launched last July. In its defense, the DSIT pointed to ongoing collaborations with the UK AI Safety Institute to test AI models and establish necessary safeguards alongside OpenAI. The department stated, “We are pleased with the progress we are making on the memorandum of understanding with OpenAI. This work is active, ongoing, and focused on delivering real results for public services and the economy.”
However, apart from the MoJ’s implementation of ChatGPT, the reported collaborations with other firms such as Nvidia and Nscale to bolster the UK’s AI capabilities do not appear to align with the initial scope of deploying advanced AI models throughout the government. OpenAI responded by asserting that the FoI request did not encompass the full extent of its activities in the UK and expressed pride in the progress made thus far under the MoU.
A Guardian investigation further revealed that Nscale’s ambitious plan to build the UK’s largest supercomputer by the end of 2026 may not be on track, with discrepancies noted in its reported progress. Nscale is expected to collaborate with OpenAI on the Stargate UK initiative, aimed at deploying 8,000 Nvidia chips across various sites, although OpenAI has remained vague about the timeline for this deployment.
The government’s memorandum with OpenAI is part of a series of high-profile agreements aimed at showcasing how AI can transform public services and drive productivity. However, experts warn that such partnerships should be conducted transparently. Matt Davies, economic and social policy lead at the Ada Lovelace Institute, stated, “AI could transform how people interact with public services, but government experimentation with these technologies must be open and transparent.” He raised concerns about accountability and the risks of becoming too dependent on a single company’s services.
Polling conducted by the Ada Lovelace Institute indicated that 84% of the public is worried about the government’s prioritization of the sector’s interests over public welfare. Davies highlighted that the memorandum with OpenAI lacks clarity on measuring progress or delivering public benefits, adding, “The government needs a positive vision for how AI can genuinely improve people’s lives; just aiming at ‘more AI’ isn’t good enough.”
Similar agreements have also been established with companies such as Anthropic and Google DeepMind, with reports suggesting that the Google memorandum is still in preliminary planning stages. Anthropic has stated intentions to develop an AI assistant to help navigate government services while collaborating with the UK AI Safety Institute on safety research.
As the UK government grapples with the integration of AI technologies, the effectiveness and transparency of these initiatives will be critical to maintaining public trust and ensuring that the potential benefits of AI are realized in a manner that prioritizes citizen welfare.
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