The British government believes that nearly two-thirds of the tasks performed by its most junior civil servants could be automated, according to documents obtained by POLITICO. In contrast, the most senior civil servants reportedly carry out no routine work that could be replaced by AI.
Ministers have suggested that digitalizing the public sector could lead to annual productivity gains of up to £45 billion. This figure is based on the assumption that 62% of the duties performed by administrative assistants—the lowest grade in the civil service—are routine and thus suitable for automation.
The analysis, prepared by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), was revealed through Freedom of Information requests. It estimates that executive officers, senior executive officers, and higher executive officers spend 48%, 43%, and 23% of their time on automatable tasks, respectively, while senior civil servants perform zero routine work.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has stated that the government aims to reduce civil service running costs by 15% before the end of the current parliamentary term, including plans for 10,000 job cuts. Reeves told the BBC that technological advancements and AI make these savings “more than possible.”
However, the modelling does not specify which roles may be cut, and experts warn that estimating job losses based solely on automation potential is difficult. Civil service grades often group diverse roles, and assuming uniform task breakdowns can be misleading.
