04 June 2025
A recent study by Nexthink underscores significant hurdles facing the UK public sector as it accelerates efforts to embed artificial intelligence (AI) into government services.
The survey of 220 IT decision-makers reveals a concerning gap in employee readiness, which could threaten the success of public sector AI initiatives.
According to the findings, 96% of IT leaders believe that the ongoing wave of AI-driven transformation will increase digital friction among employees. Meanwhile, less than half — 47% — of public sector workers are deemed to possess the necessary digital skills to confidently navigate evolving technologies. The report also shows that 93% of IT leaders anticipate staff feeling overwhelmed or daunted by new tools, especially those powered by generative AI.
As Whitehall ramps up efforts to modernize government functions through frameworks like the UK Government’s AI Playbook and AI Opportunities Action Plan, there is mounting pressure to demonstrate tangible benefits from AI investments. However, nearly half (43%) of public sector IT leaders struggle to quantify the monetary value of their AI projects, and an overwhelming 96% are seeking better ways to assess their investments' performance.
Without sufficient digital skills among civil servants and clear insights into AI’s impact, many initiatives risk getting stuck at the pilot stage or eroding public trust in government-led AI innovations.
“The UK government faces a difficult balancing act — delivering consistent public services while digitally transforming at pace. This is nearly impossible if civil servants are hampered by poor digital experiences and lack the skills needed to adopt new technologies,” said Shantanu Singh, Public Sector Lead for Nexthink UK&I.
The research also highlights the rapid increase in application deployment across government departments, with IT leaders forecasting a 44% rise over the next three years. Furthermore, 71% stated their organizations introduce new applications or tools each month. However, this rapid pace of change complicates support efforts: 68% of IT leaders reported that the sheer number of users makes it difficult to provide adequate support during rollouts.
Inadequate support during these transitions has tangible consequences, including decreased productivity (65%), diminished collaboration (54%), an increase in IT support tickets (47%), and growing employee dissatisfaction (45%).
To address these issues, almost all surveyed IT leaders (98%) emphasized the need to improve digital adoption support, while 96% highlighted the importance of tailored digital employee experience (DEX) insights. Better DEX metrics are believed to facilitate faster adoption of new tools (46%), foster innovation (40%), and boost productivity (37%).
“Given the immense cost pressures facing the public sector, maximizing IT investments and unlocking civil servant productivity is critical. Without clear visibility into the user experience, this is simply unattainable. As digital transformation accelerates, having robust DEX metrics is essential to drive adoption, remove barriers, and enhance the overall efficiency of public services,” said Singh.
