27
Public sector digital leadership found inadequate, DSIT to mandate roles and publish roadmap.
Recommendation
We challenged DSIT and the Cabinet Office on the scale of the challenge and whether the public sector would be able to grasp the opportunities offered by AI. DSIT told us that it had to be self–critical about digital leadership across government, observing that digital leaders are not well represented at executive level across the public sector and many public sector leaders do not have enough technical expertise or training.70 As part of its blueprint for modern digital government, it will require all executive teams and boards of public sector bodies to include a digital leader by 2026.71 Later this year, DSIT also intends to publish a new Digital and AI roadmap for Government, which will set out the detailed projects underpinning the vision set out in the blueprint.72 66 Q 7 67 Q 7 68 Q 7 69 Q 49 70 Q 23 71 Q 27; DSIT, A blueprint for modern digital government, January 2025, p 24 72 Q 32 18
Government Response
A response document is linked to this report, dated 10 July 2025. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document.
Source
Committee
Public Accounts Committee
Inquiry
Use of AI in Government
Report
18th Report - Use of AI in Government
26 Mar 2025
HC 356
Addressee Bodies
HM Treasury
Timeline
Recommendation age
1.5 yrs
Report published
26 Mar 2025