OpenAI and UK team up to bring AI to public services
The UK government has signed a non-binding agreement with OpenAI to explore how artificial intelligence can be used to increase productivity in public services, including education, defense, security, and the justice system.
The arrangement, announced by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, outlines a shared intention to collaborate on AI initiatives and may include data sharing between the government and OpenAI.
The agreement also mentions the development of “safeguards that protect the public and uphold democratic values.”
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said that “AI will be fundamental in driving change” in the UK and in “driving economic growth.”
The government said the partnership “could mean that world-changing AI tech is developed in the UK, driving discoveries that will deliver growth.”
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman described AI as “a core technology for nation building that will transform economies and deliver growth,” adding that the plan would “deliver prosperity for all.”
According to the government, the agreement includes a commitment to explore investment in AI infrastructure, such as data centers, and confirms that OpenAI will expand its London office, which currently employs more than 100 people.
While the announcement does not constitute a legally binding contract, it sets out high-level goals for collaboration. It comes amid broader efforts by the UK government to stimulate economic growth and position the country as a leading destination for AI research and development.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Keir Starmer introduced an “AI Opportunities Action Plan” aimed at encouraging innovation and private sector engagement. The UK has also reached similar agreements with OpenAI’s competitors, including Google and Anthropic.
The government is already using OpenAI’s models in a set of internal tools designed to increase productivity in the civil service, known as “Humphrey.”
The announcement has prompted some concerns about transparency and data use.
Dr. Gordon Fletcher, associate dean for research and innovation at the University of Salford, said the collaboration could help free up “highly skilled public servants to focus on the difficult one-in-a-million situations that AI might struggle to address,” but warned that the challenge would be “whether it can really be done transparently and ethically, with minimal data drawn from the public.”
The use of generative AI tools—such as ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI—has raised questions globally about data sources, copyright, and misinformation.
These systems generate text, images, video, and audio based on user prompts and are typically trained on large volumes of publicly available content, including books, music, and film.
Some musicians and campaigners have criticized the unlicensed use of creative content in AI model training. Others have raised concerns about false or misleading outputs generated by the technology.
Government transparency records show that Peter Kyle and Sam Altman met for official dinners in March and April of this year.
The UK’s agreement with OpenAI reflects its continued focus on attracting AI investment and deploying emerging technology in core public functions, as part of a broader strategy to revitalize the country’s economic outlook.