Last updated: 06 Jan 2025 10:00 Posted in:
Thousands of small businesses across the UK will be able to get help and advice through a new government AI chatbot trial.
Up to 15,000 people will be able to ask the tool for advice on business rules and support, with the chatbot linked to 30 of government’s online business pages, such as “set up a business” and “search for a trade mark”.
People with access to the trial can ask questions about tax and the support available to them.
A team of in-house data scientists, developers and designers are building the experimental tool using OpenAI’s GPT-4o technology, which aims to help people more quickly navigate complex advice to understand what matters to them. In response, they will receive straightforward, personalised answers that collate information that may otherwise be spread across dozens of web pages.
Science Secretary Peter Kyle said: “Outdated and bulky government processes waste people’s time too often, with the average adult in the UK spending the equivalent of a working week-and-a-half dealing with public sector bureaucracy every year.”
The chatbot pulls information from more than 700,000 pages of GOV.UK content, offering concise answers to user queries. It delivers a clear, specific explanation, cutting through the extensive content available on the government’s website. However, a message displayed during the trial warns users about the risk of ‘hallucinations’, a phenomenon where AI may generate inaccurate or misleading information.
Joe Phelan, a business banking expert at money.co.uk, highlighted the potential of the tool. He said: “Small business owners routinely juggle numerous responsibilities, leaving little time to research complex topics like funding opportunities or insurance policies. This chatbot aims to reduce the time and effort required to navigate GOV.UK’s vast resources, offering a simplified, time-saving solution.”
"Small business owners routinely juggle numerous responsibilities, leaving little time to research complex topics like funding opportunities or insurance policies. This chatbot aims to reduce the time and effort required to navigate GOV.UK’s vast resources, offering a simplified, time-saving solution.”
Joe Phelan, Business Banking Expert at money.co.uk