Gov.uk chatbot makes government services faster to access

A flagship project that promises to revolutionise the way the public interacts with UK government services is now available. It can only be accessed via the Gov.uk app , however, which means people will need to use a relatively modern iPhone, iPad or Android device. There are also known compatibility issues that may affect users who rely on assistive technology. The artificial intelligence (AI) tool, called Gov.uk Chat, aims to tackle government inefficiency by offering people a chatbot through a dedicated smartphone app, rather than waiting to speak to a call handler. In January, the State of digital government review reported that HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) handles approximately 100,000 calls each day, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) processes around 45,000 letters daily, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) still manages more than 500 paper form-based services. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said Gov.uk Chat