Microsoft chosen for UK Government AI and cloud agreement
The US tech giant now has a five-year contract with Downing Street to drive improvements and expansion of public sector artificial intelligence and on-demand computing.
From 1st November, UK Government departments and organisations will use a number of Microsoft products. These include Microsoft 365, Azure cloud, and the 365 Copilot AI-backed suite.
‘This agreement will support eligible public sector organisations to pursue their digital transformation and innovation ambitions, by enabling them to benefit from leveraging the size and scale of the UK public sector,’ said Roger Gonourie, Chief Commercial Officer at the Crown Commercial Service [CCS].
The partnership is primarily aimed at driving efficiency, improving communication and supporting innovation across the public estate. As a result, the move is also expected to save money in the long run, and forms part of wider plans to bring more artificial intelligence [AI] into everyday tasks.
Another significant aspect of the contract is upskilling the existing workforce, with recent studies showing that central and local government employees often lacked adequate training in software use. A number of new certification programmes will be rolled out, helping teams master next-generation technologies.
‘This exciting new five-year partnership will mean Microsoft can continue to support the UK Government to create a world-class, digital-first public sector infrastructure, that will improve service delivery for citizens across the whole of the UK and create opportunities for all,’ said Clare Barclay, CEO of Microsoft UK and the Chair of the UK Industrial Strategy Advisory Council.
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Image: Ed Hardie
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