Peter Kyle, the º£½ÇÊÓƵ's technology secretary, has been utilising ChatGPT, an OpenAI chatbot tool, to ask questions about º£½ÇÊÓƵ businesses, artificial intelligence (AI), and even podcast recommendations, according to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request submitted by New Scientist magazine.
The magazine revealed that Kyle, who heads the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), has regularly used the chatbot in his professional capacity, as reported by .
Questions posed by Kyle included why º£½ÇÊÓƵ small businesses are slow to adopt AI, which podcasts he should appear on to reach a broad audience, and definitions of terms such as antimatter, quantum, and digital inclusion.
One data expert suggested to the magazine that DSIT's disclosure could set a "precedent" across government, expressing surprise at the release of the information.
Initially, the department declined the FoI request, stating that Kyle's ChatGPT history contained personal prompts and responses. However, the magazine resubmitted the query, requesting only the prompts and responses made in an official capacity.
This revelation comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivered a speech on civil service reform, announcing plans to abolish NHS England and emphasising the potential for wider use of AI within government as a "golden opportunity".
Sir Keir Starmer has highlighted the potential for digital reform within government, suggesting it could lead to significant savings: "If we push forward with digital reform of government – and we are going to do that – we can make massive savings, £45bn savings in efficiency."
The Prime Minister has also advocated for a new approach to government work, stating: "No person's substantive time should be spent on a task where digital or AI can do it better, quicker and to the same high quality and standard."
Peter Kyle, meanwhile, has praised the capabilities of technology, sharing with PoliticsHome his use of ChatGPT: "I used ChatGPT to try and understand the broader context where an innovation came from, the people who developed it, the organisations behind them."
He further commented on the utility of AI as a learning tool: "ChatGPT is fantastically good, and where there are things that you really struggle to understand in depth, ChatGPT can be a very good tutor for it."
In a previous statement to The Times, the minister expressed his views on AI's educational benefits: "AI can tutor you. So for example, I can go into a chatbot and say 'What is quantum mechanics and what are its applications?', and it can come up with a description, it will tutor you."
A Freedom of Information (FoI) response shared with New Scientist revealed ChatGPT's insights on why small and medium-sized businesses may be hesitant to adopt AI, listing factors such as "Limited Awareness and Understanding", "Regulatory and Ethical Concerns" and "Lack of Government or Institutional Support".
ChatGPT highlighted the challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in adopting new technologies: "While the º£½ÇÊÓƵ government has launched initiatives to encourage AI adoption, many SMBs are unaware of these programs or find them difficult to navigate."
The AI also noted that "Compliance with data protection laws, such as GDPR [a data privacy law], can be a significant hurdle. SMBs may worry about legal and ethical issues associated with using AI."
When queried about suitable podcasts for the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology to appear on, to engage a broader audience relevant to his ministerial duties, ChatGPT recommended The Infinite Monkey Cage and The Naked Scientists, citing their listener numbers.
A government spokesperson offered insight into the minister's practices: "As the Cabinet Minister responsible for AI, the secretary of state does make use of this technology. ".
The statement continued, emphasizing the consultative approach taken: "This does not substitute comprehensive advice he routinely receives from officials."
They added, "The government is using AI as a labour-saving tool – supported by clear guidance on how to quickly and safely make use of the technology."
