Artificial Intelligence
This week, the Prime Minister officially launched Extract, the AI tool which the Digital Planning programme in MHCLG and the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence are developing to transform decades of planning information trapped in paper maps and PDFs into usable digital data.
This technology will significantly reduce the time required to digitise documents from hours to minutes, freeing planning officers up to focus on applications rather than data management.
Innovation was sparked at the Local Government Innovation Hackathon, where 150 planners, technologists and digital leaders collaborated to solve real planning challenges. MHCLG proudly co-organised the event with Government Digital Service, Incubator for AI and Open Digital Planning, reimagining planning services through this hands-on approach.
Tom Smith, Director of the AI and Advanced Analytics Directorate at MHCLG, highlights the push for AI adoption, digital transformation and cyber resilience in councils, and the exciting opportunities to make progress in these areas through the work of Local Digital.
To mark International Women’s Day 2025 on 8 March, 4 colleagues driving government innovation across AI, cyber and technology share their unique experiences, challenges and perspectives on gender equality, offering inspiration and insight, particularly for women who aspire to build a career in similar fields.
Michaela, Data Scientist, talks about how she has navigated a new career in government, using AI and programming to solve complex problems, and found her passion in data science. She also explores the vibrant culture and impactful work of the MHCLG Data Unit.
Our first Innovation Squad, a team of colleagues from different specialisms across the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), apply creativity and novel thinking to improve processes across the organisation. In this post, they share how they built on their initial successes and the role of good content in further enhancing user experience in the HR space.
Government always seeks new ways to increase efficiency, solve problems and make improvements. In our department, we continually drive process improvements through multiple initiatives. In this post, we’ll talk about our latest initiative: Innovation Squads.
