The research, based on surveys of 500 public sector workers and 1,000 UK citizens, captures a disconnect between internal AI adoption and public awareness that aligns with the UK government's AI roadmap for modern digital government to 2030, which calls for transparency as a condition of public trust.
Almost a third of citizens (29%) say they have struggled to access digital public services in the past year, raising questions about whether innovation is moving faster than accessibility improvements. The findings land as many local authorities embed AI into frontline services, from scheduling to resident enquiry handling, without accompanying public communication programmes.
For local authorities planning AI service rollouts, the research provides a case for proactive public communication strategies alongside technical deployment. The research does not measure whether citizen unawareness reflects genuine absence of AI in services, inadequate communication about its use, or both.
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