Unlocking Generative AI: A framework for HM Government

22 Jan 2024 12:01 PM

The Government’s latest framework for the application of generative AI across various government departments aims to establish a unified and responsible approach to the technology’s safe, responsible, and effective use in government.

The ‘Generative AI framework for HM Government’ introduced by the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) in January has produced 10 principles for departments to use, with a primary focus on ensuring the ethical and responsible application of generative AI. techUK has broken down these principles and the potential opportunities AI brings to government departments. 

10 principles

• Principle 1: You know what generative AI is and what its limitations are
• Principle 2: You use generative AI lawfully, ethically and responsibly
• Principle 3: You know how to keep generative AI tools secure
• Principle 4: You have meaningful human control at the right stage
• Principle 5: You understand how to manage the full generative AI lifecycle
• Principle 6: You use the right tool for the job
• Principle 7: You are open and collaborative
• Principle 8: You work with commercial colleagues from the start
• Principle 9: You have the skills and expertise that you need to build and use generative AI
• Principle 10: You use these principles alongside your organisation’s policies and have the right assurance in place

Overview

Rather than serving as a technical manual, this guide offers plain language to outline the necessary steps departments should consider when they are looking to use generative AI. In the year since AI entered the public domain, its potential benefits for government departments remains largely untapped. By breaking down the intricacies of generative AI, its application and limitations, the framework seeks to enhance general understanding of the technology across government departments and in the civil service.

The initial nine principles concentrate on developing the understanding of generative AI. The framework places emphasis on its lawful, ethical and responsible use, with a focus on transparency in AI development, deployment and usage. To further support departments, the framework includes use cases and practical recommendations which can be applied across departments.  

While advocating for its use, the framework warns departments about the current limitations of generative AI. Some of these limitations include the lack of personal experience and emotion in Learnt Language Models (LLMs), real time access to information and data and the short-term memory of LLMs.  The CDDO recommends vigilance and informed decision-making by civil servants, urging them to leverage their expertise to discern when and how generative AI can enhance efficiencies and reduce costs.

Looking ahead, the CDDO would like to use this guidance as a dynamic document, which evolves with our understanding of generative AI.  As its application across government and societies grow, valuable insights will be learnt from user experiences which can further help to shape the framework.