PAC urges government to upskill Civil Servants in AI to unlock smarter public services

The UK’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has called on the government to urgently upskill Civil Servants in artificial intelligence and digital technologies, warning that public sector capability is lagging behind the pace of technological change and holding back service transformation.

In its new report, Smarter Delivery of Public Services, the cross-party committee argues that the Operational Delivery Profession (ODP), which represents more than 290,000 public-facing civil servants, must be equipped with the digital and AI skills needed to deliver efficient, citizen-focused services.

“Government cannot expect civil servants to become magically more productive simply because it purchases AI platforms to run on their computers,” said Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Chair of the PAC. “Those at the sharp end of deploying it must be actively upskilled in its use.”

The report finds that while some departments are experimenting with AI - such as the Child Maintenance Service, which uses AI to identify payment arrangements at risk of breaking down - the overall adoption of AI across the public sector remains “nascent and uneven”. A shortfall in digital capability among Civil Servants was identified as a key barrier to progress.

The PAC recommends that the ODP work with the Government Digital and Data Profession to define the digital and AI skills its members require, and to embed these into the new ODP Skills Framework. These capabilities, the report says, are essential to help staff deliver services through digital channels, automate routine tasks, and focus their time on citizens with complex needs.

Unlocking frontline innovation

The Committee also urges senior leaders to do more to harness innovation from the frontline, arguing that operational delivery staff, who run services from prisons to jobcentres, hold untapped potential for improving services.

Despite the ODP’s size and reach, the report highlights its low visibility beyond Whitehall, making it difficult to attract new talent. It calls on the ODP to raise its external profile, particularly among students, and to publish an annual report showcasing its progress and success stories. “The Civil Service should be shouting about the ODP,” said Clifton-Brown. “If this is going to happen, staff will need the right skills to make use of future technologies, including cyber capabilities.”

The PAC also examined the ODP’s Surge and Rapid Response Team (SRRT), which supported 75 departmental deployments in 2024 to tackle crises and seasonal peaks in demand. The report cautions that departments must not rely on the SRRT as a substitute for developing their own operational resilience.

To build lasting improvement, the Committee says the ODP must track whether its interventions are genuinely strengthening the cost and quality of public services, and encourage cross-sector collaboration with local government and private partners.

With government spending over £450 billion annually on public services, the Committee stresses that operational capability and digital literacy are essential for value for money and citizen satisfaction. It concludes that upskilling the civil service for AI-driven delivery is “vital to ensure public services remain effective, accessible and responsive”.