Last week, I was absolutely thrilled to attend the first meeting of the Welsh Government’s new Strategic Artificial Intelligence Advisory Group. The establishment of this group followed quickly on the decision by the Welsh Government to create a new Office for AI, and establish a new funding pot to build strong foundations for the public sector’s use of AI.
It was an excellent first meeting, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, with international leaders and experts from business, the digital sector, academia and think-tanks. They joined Welsh colleagues such as Matt Lewis, Chair of the AI Leadership Group for Wales and Lindsey Phillips, Chief Digital Office for Local Government. It was an energising meeting, with strong engagement around the unique approach Wales wants to take with AI, with a focus on people and social value, addressing common problems rather than innovation for the sake of it, and on ‘sovereign’ solutions – those owned by the nation.
The Group touched on the balance between risk and benefit – how we ensure AI is used in ways that improve the way the Welsh Government serves citizens and supports business, while understanding and addressing risks such as bias and sustainability. Importantly, the group can take an international view, bringing access to learnings and effective models used across the world for outcomes that benefit citizens, as well as the economy.
The creation of the Group sits alongside the agreement of new funding from the Welsh Government to invest in building foundations that enable the Welsh devolved public sector to grow AI use in common ways, with collective benefit.
Excitingly, the AI Leadership Group for Wales, convened by CDPS, will play a key role, alongside Wales’ Chief Digital Officers, in steering that investment and in enabling delivery this year.
CDPS has always recognised the powerful role AI can play in improving public services, alongside its huge wider impact. In late 2023 we carried out a discovery into the support needed by the public sector to make effective use of AI tools. Following its recommendations, we set up an AI Community of Practice, and an AI Steering Group with representation from across the Welsh public sector. In its first year, the AI Steering Group identified a clear desire in the sector to share knowledge and grow the use of AI within common standards.
The group commissioned the creation of a common set of AI guidance, a “start here” kit that would help organisations build up AI use against common standards. The Group also directed the development of knowledge-sharing on the CDPS-managed Digital Sharing Hub endorsed the use of the UK Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard, and agreed the need for a transparent registry of AI implementations in Wales.
Recently the steering group was re-named the AI Leadership Group for Wales and befitted from a new chair: Matt Lewis, COO of the Shared Service Resource. He aims to build the group’s reach and impact, ensuring we play a strong role in the success of the Welsh Government’s new investment in AI, and creating a strong link between the Group and the new Strategic Artificial Intelligence Advisory Group.
It's great for CDPS to be a central part of this new initiative, and we’re very excited to see what will grow out of it, and the role CDPS and the AI Leadership Group for Wales play into the future. AI is a roller-coaster – but it’s much better to be on it than watching from the sidelines!
