The UK Government is using its experimental chatbot, called GOV.UK Chat supports small businesses and helps them navigate government services online
The chatbot, which is powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 technology, hopes to make finding information on business rules, tax, and support easier. This is part of a wider effort to down the time citizens spend dealing with bureaucratic processes.
Who can use it?
This trial is focused on up to 15,000 small business users, who will be able to access the chatbot directly from 30 pages on GOV.UK, including “set up a business” and “search for a trade mark.” The chatbot answers questions specific to business topics, such as tax issues and government support options.
GOV.UK Chat provides users with straightforward, personised answers that pull information from across the government’s 700,000-page website. This means that instead of navigating multiple pages, users can get quick, relevant answers in one place.
The chatbot is designed to simplify complex advice, making it faster and easier for businesses to find what they need.
Improving on past trials
Original trials that were conducted last year, showed promising results. Almost 70% of users found the chatbot helpful, although some concerns were raised about its accuracy.
Since then, enhancements have been made to improve response accuracy, introduce user onboarding, and add accessibility features. These upgrades should make it easier for users to get accurate, clear answers.
Safety and control
Having recognised that AI can sometimes produce unpredictable responses, the government has introduced safety measures, or “guardrails,” to ensure the chatbot:
- Avoids sensitive or inappropriate topics, including political stances.
- Does not give advice that could potentially be illegal or risky.
- AI safety experts from the AI Safety Institute have been consulted to help refine these measures.
On average, UK adults spend a large amount of time each year on government processes, and this project is part of a broader push to reduce that time by leveraging AI.
If successful, this technology could eventually be rolled out across the entire GOV.UK site.
What are the next steps?
Data and results from this trial phase will help to guide future development and eventually lead to larger-scale testing.
The government hopes to eventually roll out GOV.UK Chat more widely across its website, but only after ensuring it meets high standards for accuracy, safety, and user satisfaction.
Full trial results will be published after careful review, to ensure transparency and guide the chatbot’s development.
