Ministers reveal that government body responsible for storing and curating 1,000 years of official records in the UK is experimenting with various uses of new technology to support its work

Over the past year The National Archives has trialled the use of artificial intelligence tools for a range of purposes, including reviewing and digitally transcribing historic documents.

Pilots conducted over the past 12 months include experimentation with using technology to “speed up office-based tasks”, according to Chris Bryant – who holds two ministerial briefs: data protection and telecoms; and creative industries, arts and tourism.

Tasks which The National Archives has attempted to expedite via AI include “the transcription of some internal meetings and summarising texts”, Bryant added.

The minister also said that the archiving body – which operates as a non-ministerial department sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport – has examined the possibilities for AI to “improve public services”.

“For example, investigating creating short summaries of record descriptions for the online catalogue and identifying amendments and enabling powers in legislation on legislation.gov.uk,” he added.

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Other exploratory use cases include implementations of automated technology to “support the government to better manage its information”. This includes trials with the objective of “investigating AI tools to aid officials in the appraisal, selection and sensitivity review of digital records before their transfer for preservation at The National Archives”.

Artificial intelligence has also been piloted to “aid research into historical records” kept at the archive, such as by “transcribing handwritten and printed text in historical records”, according to Bryant.

“Artificial intelligence is at the heart of the government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country,” the data minister added. “The National Archives can draw on a range of resources, published on GOV.UK, to inform AI usage. For example the Generative AI Framework, the Ethics, Transparency and Accountability Framework, the Data Ethics Framework and the AI Opportunities Action Plan. The National Archives also has access to the Government Digital Service, part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, for expert advice.”

Bryant – whose role is split across DCMS and DSIT – was responding to a written parliamentary question from Conservative MP John Hayes.