Launched by government earlier this year, the Minute software designed to listen in on meetings and provide automated transcripts and other notes is being tested by authorities around the country
A government-developed artificial intelligence tool designed to automate note-taking is being trialled by 25 local councils around the country.
The Minute software – which forms part of the wider Humprehy suite of AI programs – “uses generative AI to turn meetings into notes and adds unique tools to help tweak and correct summaries more efficiently”, according to the government.
It added that this could “help speed up actions after planning meetings, allowing officers to focus on the task at hand, rather than paperwork” and “also helps take detailed notes in meetings between social care workers and their supervisors, allowing workers to focus on offering more support instead of being bogged down by bureaucracy”.
Authorities currently testing out Minute include councils in West Berkshire and Stockton-on-Tees. These pilots build on initial tests of the system in Whitehall which demonstrated that, for every one hour meeting, the technology eliminated the need for a further hour of civil service admin, according to the government.
Alongside Minute, Humphrey – named in honour of the fictional permanent secretary in 1980s sitcom Yes, Minister – also includes four other software tools, including Consult – a program for analysing public consultation responses which performed well in its first real-world test, according to a recent announcement from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Humprey also features: the Parlex tool, which is intended to enable policy professionals to perform analysis of “decades of debate from the Houses of Parliament”; Redbox, which uses generative AI to assist officials “with day-to-day tasks, like summarising policy and preparing briefings”; and Lex, which has been created to analyse and summarise complex legislation.
AI and digital government minister Feryal Clark said: “From parking permits and planning permission, local councils handle some of the services that impact our daily lives most. For too long, they have been left to fend for themselves when keeping up with rapid innovations in AI and digital technology – when we know it has huge potential to help solve many of the challenges they face. That’s why “Humphrey”, a suite of exciting AI tools built in my department, is being sent to townhalls to help them fast track planning decisions, build 1.5 million homes and take meeting notes more quickly. This is just the first step as we are also going to work with local councils to help them buy and build the technology they need to deliver our Plan for Change and support their local communities more effectively.”
The local government trials of the government-created AI comes shortly after DSIT unveiled a new online AI Knowledge Hub, through which the department will be “sharing practical examples of how AI is being used in government and across local councils so other organisations across the UK can take their work forward”.
