The authority is among 25 administrative areas which will test a new tool to automate note taking and paper trails from meetings.
Created by the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (i.AI), Minute will now be responsible for transcribing the events of council meetings. The system can also deliver customisable summaries in formats regularly required by people working in public service.
i.AI, which falls under the Government Digital Service, itself part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, is one of several prototypes currently being tested by local and central authorities. Developers are working alongside the Local Government Association, LOTI and a number of other partners to gather data on how effective Minute is and ways in which it could be improved.
‘I’m delighted that West Berkshire Council will be part of this pilot and look forward to the results. If used securely and ethically, artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionise how the public sector works,’ said Cllr Vicky Poole, portfolio holder for transformation and corporate programme at West Berkshire Council.
‘Like all other instances of using AI in the Council, this will not be used to make decisions or create final versions of reports. Everything will be created by an Officer but helped by using Minute,’ she continued.
Last month, the winners of Britain’s Manchester Prize were announced. The awards celebrate the most innovative and change-driven AI projects being developed by UK companies, with the top trophy including a £1million grant. Imperial College London’s Polaron emerged the overall victor with a programme capable of model testing new materials without the need to develop physical versions.
Image: Gabrielle Henderson / Unsplash
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