ARTIFICIAL Intelligence (AI) is to be used by Warwickshire County Council (WCC) in an effort to save money and improve productivity and service delivery.
The council’s cabinet has agreed to invest up to £730,000 in a new programme of AI projects.
The council said the money, taken from its Revenue Investment Fund, will be used over the next two years to ‘explore and implement AI solutions to improve productivity and enhance service delivery’ – and to help it meet its target of £419,000 in savings through its Digital Roadmap by 2027-28.
A WCC spokesperson said: “The decision was made after recognising the rapid growth of AI and the potential for it to help the council deliver more efficient and effective services.
“The new approach will allow the council to take a strategic and coordinated approach to AI, moving away from ad-hoc projects.
“The funding will be used to establish dedicated subject matter expertise, grow internal capabilities, and cover the costs of cloud computing, data processing, and licensing.”
They added that each AI project would be evaluated with a business case to ensure it delivered financial and efficiency benefits before being approved.
WCC customer and localities spokesperson Coun Michael Bannister added: “This new programme will allow us to safely, ethically, and cost-effectively explore how AI can help us improve our services and support our staff.
“We’re not just jumping on a trend; we’re taking a sensible, measured approach to a technology that is already changing how we work. By investing in a clear, coordinated programme, we can make sure we’re focusing on the right projects that deliver real benefits for our residents and help us meet our financial goals.”
