Google Cloud will upskill up to 100,000 UK civil servants in technology and artificial intelligence (AI) by 2030. This aims to support the Prime Minister’s target to have one in ten officials as tech experts to speed up the delivery of the UK Government’s Plan for Change.
The new partnership will also see Google Cloud work with the UK Government to help public services use advanced tech to shake off decades old ‘ball and chain’ legacy contracts which leave essential services vulnerable to cyberattack.
Google Cloud will offer tech support to help modernize government services millions of people use every day, such as the National Health Service (NHS) and services from local councils, and save taxpayers’ money by replacing old tech – helping to create a more agile state.
Google DeepMind will collaborate with technical experts in government to support them in deploying and diffusing new emerging technologies, driving efficiencies across the public sector including accelerating scientific discovery.
Government departments hampered by legacy tech
Over one in four public sector systems currently run on legacy tech – rising to 70 percent in some police forces and NHS trusts, according to Google Cloud. Government departments will be helped to leave ball and chain tech contracts where companies have made it too difficult to transfer data to modern systems, with some companies hiking the prices while the taxpayer is locked into contracts.
Google Cloud will also help organizations move from legacy technology to the latest ‘secure-by-design’ cloud technology, which will give them much more choice in future.
The new arrangement will see Google Cloud and the UK Government work together to examine the potential of groundbreaking technology, such as quantum computing, in the public sector too. What’s more, they will explore the potential development of a single platform to monitor and respond to cybersecurity issues across the UK Government, helping to defend the public sector from growing cyber threats.
Join us at All Access: AI in Business Transformation 2025 and learn how to future-proof your business with the right strategy and latest technology!
Helping the UK Government lead the AI era
“Google Cloud is proud to be a strategic partner of the UK Government as they embark on this ambitious digital transformation,” said Tara Brady, president of Google Cloud EMEA.
“As the country evolves, the flexibility of Google Cloud will help the government lead the AI era. We are deeply committed to empowering the UK public sector with the technical skills and innovative AI-powered solutions required to build a truly modern, secure and efficient digital future, delivering tangible benefits to citizens and driving significant economic value.”
Technology secretary Peter Kyle added: “When I negotiate with tech companies, I am negotiating on behalf of the British taxpayer. Britain will be using more technology, in more areas and more than ever before. So, my message to the big technology companies is clear: bring us your best ideas, your best tech and your best price.”
[inlinead-1]