The "Contact the FCDO" service empowers British Nationals to quickly access the information they need without immediately escalating queries to the FCDO. Leveraging multiple large language models (LLMs), the service efficiently processes enquiries by selecting pre-written content that human support agents typically use. This approach not only speeds up response times but also reduces the workload on customer support staff. Additionally, the service includes a back-office tool that allows the support team to maintain and update content and metadata used in LLM prompts, eliminating the need for technical engineers to make changes.
This streamlined process enables users to self-serve and find the information they need within seconds rather than days, while retaining the option to escalate to a human agent if necessary. The service ensures quicker access to accurate information, improving the overall experience for British Nationals seeking help from the FCDO.

Andrew Grill is a leading AI expert and futurist renowned for his ability to translate complex AI concepts into actionable insights for audiences of any size and experience.

His work focuses on empowering organisations in both the public and private sectors to harness AI technologies effectively and ensure they are safe, human-centric, trustworthy, and responsible.

Andrew provides practical guidance on AI adoption through his keynotes, workshops, podcasts, media appearances and his new book, emphasising ethical considerations and responsible use.

Bridging the Digital Divide with AI-Powered Employability Training

Recognizing the growing digital skills gap and the transformative potential of AI, I spearheaded the development of an AI-focused employability program. This initiative aimed to equip our workforce with the necessary skills to thrive in the digital age.

Key Program Features:

Personalized Learning Paths: Leveraging AI algorithms, we tailored training modules to individual learners' needs and skill levels, ensuring maximum effectiveness.
Hands-on AI Projects: Participants actively engaged in real-world AI projects, gaining practical experience and applying their knowledge to solve complex problems.
Industry Partnerships: We collaborated with leading technology companies to provide industry-relevant training and mentorship opportunities.
Impact and Results:

Increased Digital Proficiency: Over 500 employees successfully completed the program, demonstrating a significant improvement in their digital skills and confidence.
Enhanced Career Prospects: Participants reported increased job satisfaction, better career prospects, and a greater ability to adapt to technological advancements.
Positive Organizational Outcomes: The program has contributed to a more digitally skilled and agile workforce, fostering innovation and competitiveness.

My mission is to harness the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) for the benefit of vulnerable service users.

I’ve built a team of experts combining deep expertise in AI, user-centred design, and understanding the challenges faced by caseworkers and service providers. We’re reimagining casework through cutting-edge innovations, collaboration, inclusivity, and tangible outcomes of improved performance and productivity.

We zero in on the highest priority items to unlock value and deliver impact. We run riskiest assumption tests, avoid rabbit holes and push at open doors - including low code tools and AI functionality of existing CRMs. The crux of the challenge is often evaluating machine generated output, for which we can employ prompt engineering, LLM fine tuning, RAG and classical NLP.

We take data security seriously, with pseudonymisation of data, to remove Personally Identifiable Information, housed in secure architecture. Model and bias evaluation is a key part of our offer.

I truly believe AI is a transformative enabler of new and better experiences across every industry and every aspect of our lives. However, in a rush to implement AI, organisations are increasingly spending untold time and money building "AI for AI's sake" instead of using it to solve a core customer problem. I am on a mission to change this. Responsible AI shouldn't be a tickbox at the end of the process; responsible, ethical AI is a competitive advantage that helps us build better products, do better by our customers, and be better for the business's bottom line. Through my talks, writing, and consulting, I am showing organisations of all sizes that responsible AI is a competitive advantage, and one Scotland and the UK as a whole is uniquely positioned to capitalise on.

As Chief Data Officer, my core mission is to deliver data and AI innovations that solve complex problems in the online grocery space. To do this, I drive the company’s data strategy and ensure the data science team is equipped with the right tools, processes and culture to succeed.

Today, my team oversees 100+ AI use cases that enhance our processes and create value for our retail partners and their customers.

AI and data are critical to our success. Traditional ecommerce and logistics approaches don't meet the unique challenges of online grocery—managing perishables, ensuring timely deliveries, and meeting customer expectations. To address this, we've built an end-to-end platform that includes AI-driven stock forecasting, automated fulfillment centres, delivery optimisation and personalised shopping experiences.

With volumes of data flowing end to end, we have the unique opportunity to use AI to create optimisations and automations that would otherwise not be possible.

We have focussed on our AI mission being transparent and accelerating the programme safely. We work on the ethos of value-led and basing our approach on solving real problems that will help our citizens and colleagues. We use a ‘test and learn’ approach through rapid tech prototyping and iteration. We work with colleagues on the front line to co-develop solutions and have developed a culture of innovation across the business.

We are always responsible and transparent, and in time we will publish our AI code base to the public to ensure transparency. We also have building and sharing components in mind, so tools that we build can be reused across Government.

While working in an ethical and safe way, we are also delivering results at high speed. Our first Gen-AI projects went from preparing a business plan to the delivery of six proof-of-concept projects in a matter of months.

AI/ML is a complex domain, and Project MARVEL is our initiative to ensure the Army's AI readiness by integrating this technology with key counterparts. Project COEUS aims to make data machine-ready through federated governance and dedicated data domain owners, enhancing data quality and utility. Over nine months, we've pinpointed essential skills for our transformation, focusing on AI & ML knowledge, skills, and experience (KSE), a core part of Project TECHKNE, soon to be deployed Army-wide. Project EOS is also vital, providing the necessary AI/ML platforms and infrastructure. It has established a dedicated MODCloud tenant with OFFICIAL-level access to advanced computing and storage, with plans to upgrade to SECRET level. Additionally, Project EOS will create an ML Ops platform to maintain model training integrity, addressing issues like drift, hallucinations, and adversarial tampering, ensuring commanders can rely on these tools.

AI is the buzzword of the decade, capturing the imaginations of technologists and the public alike. However, AI isn't new; it has evolved over decades of research and development. In order to maximize the benefits of machine learning and AI as technologies for the public good, it is imperative that people understand both the potential and the risks associated with these innovations.
The notion of AI as a blackbox is neither productive nor sustainable. My core proposition is to educate people about the capabilities and limitations of AI, emphasizing the importance of the underlying data that powers these systems. This educational endeavor will involve demystifying AI, elucidating on what it can and cannot do, and highlighting the critical role of data quality and integrity in achieving reliable AI outcomes.
Moreover, leveraging existing technological expertise, we can demonstrate the art of the possible with AI. By showcasing practical applications and tangible benefits, we aim to build public trust and foster a deeper understanding of AI's potential to contribute positively to society. This approach will empower individuals and communities to make informed decisions and embrace AI-driven solutions with confidence and awareness.

The Defence Data Research Centre is part of the UK Government’s Defence AI Strategy and Defence AI Centre. The DDRC operates as a consortium led by Zena Wood at the University of Exeter and includes the Universities of Liverpool, and Surrey and the Digital Catapult. DDRC brings together expertise in data science, computer science, cyber, social science and business. My objective is to help MOD overcome its technical, cultural, and behavioural barriers to the use of data within AI and Data Science. This is achieved by delivering practical insights to advance the use of data for Artificial Intelligence applications; investigating data-driven decision making within a defence context; and exploring how solutions and mitigations developed by the Centre could be applied elsewhere to benefit the wider UK economy. DDRC activity focuses on four areas (research, problem solving, community building and impact acceleration), all of which are seen as equally important.