The UK government is preparing to deploy a new artificial intelligence tool across its departments to streamline the public consultation process. The tool, known as Consult, was first used by the Scottish Government to evaluate feedback on the regulation of non-surgical cosmetic procedures, including lip fillers and laser hair removal.
Developed as part of a broader AI package named Humphrey, Consult is designed to process responses to public consultations up to 1,000 times faster than human analysts, reducing reliance on external contractors and cutting an estimated 75,000 staff hours per year, according to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
First Live Trial Produced Near-Identical Results to Human Analysis
The inaugural use of Consult took place during a consultation led by the Scottish Government, examining how to regulate a growing market in cosmetic treatments. More than 2,000 responses were received.
According to official sources, Consult was able to identify key themes across six open-ended questions, which were then verified and refined by human reviewers. The trial revealed a high level of accuracy, with the tool achieving an F1 score of 0.76, a benchmark commonly used to measure AI performance.
In this instance, officials concluded that Consult’s thematic categorisation aligned closely with human analysts, allowing civil servants to spend more time interpreting and applying feedback, rather than manually sorting it.
“Using the tool was very beneficial in helping the Scottish Government understand more quickly what people wanted us to hear and our respondents’ range of views.” said Jenni Minto, Scotland’s Public Health Minister, adding that the tool “supported us to undertake the analysis that will inform our next steps.”
According to the government, the tool “saved a heck of a lot of time” during the process and was perceived to improve consistency by reducing subjective bias introduced by individual analysts.
Potential Savings of £20 Million and Plans for Wider Adoption
The UK government conducts around 500 consultations each year, often relying on expensive contractors for response analysis. According to the Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, deploying Consult across departments could lead to “millions” in savings for taxpayers.
“No one should be wasting time on something AI can do quicker and better,” said Mr Kyle. He added that the tool would help civil servants focus on policy, not paperwork, and described the Scottish Government’s trial as a “bold first step” towards a more efficient public sector.
Though Consult remains in a trial phase, its successful early use has prompted plans for expansion. The tool will remain under expert oversight, with civil servants reviewing themes and classifications via a dedicated interactive dashboard.
A full rollout is anticipated by the end of 2025, pending further evaluations to ensure performance standards are maintained.
