To receive an update from the Chief Delivery Officer (PSPS).

The Chairman welcomed Jackie Wright, Chief Delivery Officer (PSPS) to provide an update.

Members received a presentation (a copy is attached at Appendix B to the Minutes).

The Chief Delivery Officer (PSPS) provided Members with an overview of the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Public Sector.

Councillor Craig Leyland as Portfolio Holder for Corporate Affairs confirmed that his portfolio covered a range of areas and thanked the Chief Delivery Officer (PSPS) for her presentation.  He advised that the Council needed to consider all the points raised and determine how best to take advantage of AI to improve day to day operations.

Councillor Graham Marsh as Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Leisure and Culture, and Carbon Reduction confirmed that he had no comments to make. 

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

• On the wider issues with AI, a Member queried if there were any laws against bias or discrimination for AI technologies.  In response, the Chief Delivery Officer (PSPS) advised that the law was developing with regards to this and that it was currently the Council’s responsibility to monitor.  The policy was a moving policy and had taken into account the pace of change around controls and governance.  Over the next 12 to 18 months it was expected that more protection in law would become evident. 

• A Member queried how different laws in other countries affected the storage of data and utilisation of AI.  In response, the Chief Delivery Officer (PSPS) advised that this was one of the challenges faced by all organisations and it was largely discouraged to use tools from outside of Europe.  Tools that could be locally hosted within the UK and were compliant with GDPR was the current focus and the Council was looking to manage and maintain its own data to ensure it was protected.

• A Member provided an anecdotal negative experience with chatbots and queried if PS2 had been able to utilise university students and graduates to bring new ideas and innovation.  In response, the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Affairs commented that an impact on staffing through using AI would provide a significant advantage by freeing up extra capacity and this was a driver that Council Leaders were supporting in order to alleviate staffing pressures.

• A Member indicated they would like to see a Scrutiny Group created that was dedicated to examining the opportunities of utilising AI.

• A Member queried if any services within the Council had already benefited from AI processes.  In response, the Chief Delivery Officer (PSPS) advised that no AI processes had been implemented from a service area perspective and that work needed to be undertaken with current systems before processes were changed or reengineered for AI.

The Assistant Director (Corporate) advised Members that Annual Delivery Plans had been approved across the three Council’s and within those a series of service reviews had been undertaken which had brought ideas and thoughts forward for the Council to start testing.

Further to a discussion, it was agreed that a Scrutiny request be submitted and a policy document be circulated to Members for the creation of an AI Scrutiny Group.

No further comments or questions were received.  The Chairman thanked the Chief Delivery Officer (PSPS) for her report.