University of Southampton and Cambridge Warn That Responsible AI Is Crucial for Better UK Public Services

University of Southampton and Cambridge Warn That Responsible AI Is Crucial for Better UK Public Services

(IN BRIEF) A joint report from the University of Southampton and the University of Cambridge, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, explores artificial intelligence’s growing impact on UK public services. While AI-driven tools—such as council chatbots, GP booking systems, and hospital triage—offer efficiency gains, the authors warn that without robust regulation, skilled staff, and public involvement, AI could exacerbate job losses, inequality, and corporate dominance. Led by Dame Wendy Hall, the study outlines AI’s promise in administrative justice, local government, public health, and the need for diversified governance models. Launched alongside Southampton’s AI@Southampton initiative, the report calls for evidence-based policies and cross-sector collaboration to ensure AI serves the public interest.

(PRESS RELEASE) SOUTHAMPTON, 25-Jun-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — University of Southampton experts, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, warn that while artificial intelligence has the power to revolutionise UK public services, its benefits will only materialise if implemented with care and oversight. Funded by the Nuffield Foundation, their new report examines AI’s expanding role in areas such as healthcare, local government, and the justice system, as well as its potential to enhance everyday life.

The study highlights current AI applications in public services—chatbots for council enquiries, automated GP appointment systems, and hospital triage tools—but cautions that, without strong regulation, transparent governance, and investment in digital skills, AI adoption could lead to job displacement, wider inequality, and excessive influence by unregulated tech giants.

Co-author Dame Wendy Hall, Regius Professor of Computer Science at Southampton and member of the UN’s high-level AI advisory body, emphasises the need for purpose-driven design: “AI is too transformative to ignore—it can improve our lives. Yet public services won’t automatically become fairer or more effective unless systems are built explicitly in the public interest. Without clear rules, trained personnel, and genuine public engagement, we risk creating services that feel intrusive, unfair, and alienating.”

Produced by Southampton’s Web Science Institute and Cambridge’s Bennett Institute for Public Policy, the report coincides with the launch of AI@Southampton, a university-wide initiative led by Dame Wendy Hall to unite cutting-edge AI research.

Key sections explore how AI could:

• Administrative Justice: Reduce errors and delays in judicial processes, provided safeguards uphold fairness and accountability.
• Local Government: Enhance planning, transport, and social care delivery, contingent on councils gaining ethical AI skills.
• Public Health: Leverage health, social, and environmental data to predict and prevent illness, balanced by robust privacy protections.
• Regulation and Markets: Counter the concentration of AI development within a few large firms by encouraging models that prioritise broader social benefits.

Drawing on workshops with leaders in healthcare, law, policy, and academia, the report—Just outcomes: How can AI make people’s lives better?—stresses that, although AI can drive productivity and growth, citizens must understand both its risks and opportunities for jobs and livelihoods.

Professor Dame Diane Coyle of Cambridge’s Bennett Institute adds, “AI can deliver smarter public services, but only if fairness, transparency, and public value remain front and centre. The choices we make today will determine our society’s future; with the right strategies, evidence, and partnerships, AI can help build a more just, connected nation.”

Read the full report at www.southampton.ac.uk/wsi/news. Discover AI@Southampton at www.southampton.ac.uk/ai.

Media Contact:

Tel. +44 (0)23 8059 3212
Email: press@soton.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Southampton