The government has launched a new cohort of artificial intelligence fellows to accelerate the digital transformation of public services.
The programme, backed by a $1 million investment from Meta and delivered in partnership with the Alan Turing Institute, is designed to bring world-class AI expertise directly into government for the next year to build open-source tools that tackle pressing operational challenges.
Minister for Data and Modern Digital Government Ian Murray said the initiative is a central part of the government’s digital transformation agenda, which aims to leverage AI to make public services faster, safer and more efficient.
Fellows, drawn from leading UK research institutions, will apply AI techniques to practical problems within core government functions. In transport and infrastructure, this includes developing models that analyse images and video to help local authorities and agencies prioritise maintenance and repairs more effectively. In the security domain, fellows will work on systems capable of operating offline or within secure networks, supporting vital decision-making in defence and national security without compromising sensitive information.
The cohosrt of fellows includes:
Dr Armin Mustafa, University of Surrey - an expert in computer vision and AI‑driven modelling
Angus Williams, Senior Data Scientist at the Alan Turing Institute - specialist in real‑world machine‑learning applications for the public sector
Dr Shan Luo, Associate Professor of Computer Vision at King’s College London - known for robotics‑led approaches to imaging and automated decision‑making
Dr Frank Soboczenski, Assistant Professor in AI at the University of York - a leader in trustworthy AI and safety‑critical systems
Dr Mingfei Sun, Assistant Professor in Computer Science at the University of Manchester - an expert in large-scale reinforcement learning.
A complementary partnership with AI developer Anthropic will pilot a dedicated AI assistant for public services, initially aimed at supporting jobseekers with tailored career advice and practical assistance. The technology will be optional for users and is part of broader efforts to explore how AI agents can improve the citizen experience in government services.
Rob Sherman, Vice-President and Deputy Chief Privacy Officer at Meta, said the company is “proud to help bring top British AI talent into government” and accelerate meaningful transformation. Pip White, Head of UK, Ireland and Northern Europe at Anthropic, described the collaboration as central to deploying AI “safely for the public benefit.”
The initiative builds on the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, launched in January 2025, and represents a shift towards embedding AI capability within public services rather than leaving it at the strategy level.