Leeds-based tech consultancy Hippo has hosted government officials from Barbados on their UK tour of AI capability, facilitated by the Global Government Forum.
The study tour offered a great opportunity for ministers and officials from Barbados to meet with multiple government departments and organisations that are involved in implementing and supporting the development of the UK’s vision for Artificial Intelligence across public services.
The UK was selected as the host for this tour due to its ranking as the fourth best country in the world for AI capability. Hippo was invited to be involved in these valuable discussions, reflecting its capability in delivering citizen-level services and responsible AI processes. Core themes that were explored during the visit include harnessing AI to improve public services, the upskilling of civil servants, and creating a standardised approach to AI infrastructure and data sharing across departments.
Following a dinner hosted by Hippo co-founders, CEO Adam Lewis and executive director Liz Whitefield, and attended by Tracy Brabin, mayor of West Yorkshire, Alison Lowe, deputy mayor and Richard Corbidge, chief digital information officer DWP, Hippo hosted a full day of talks and roundtables discussing how AI is currently used in public services and the potential for the future.
Reflecting on the visit to Leeds, Donna Cadogan, head of the public service and cabinet secretary, Government of Barbados, said: “We came to see living examples of what Barbados needs to do to move from a place of using a paper-based government service to become digitally enabled. The study tour of the UK has shown us various aspects we would like to emulate such as getting more young people involved in innovation and AI. We’ve been blown away by the amount of information provided on the tour and look forward to furthering our collaboration with organisations like Hippo.”
Richard Corbridge, director general (chief digital information officer), Department for Work and Pensions, added: “Cross-government collaboration is key to digital transformation in the UK, being able to do this across the globe and share learning has been a superb experience, doing it in West Yorkshire through the lens of devolution and with Leeds as a great place to work in digital added still more to the rich and rewarding conversation. We need to do more of this and make sure that Leeds and West Yorkshire and all the organisations striving every day to be still better at what we do through digital transformation are on the global map.”
Guests and speakers during the workshops and presentations at the Hippo campus in Leeds included Kevin Cunnington, executive advisor, Global Government Forum; Katy Raife, sector manager, creative & digital, trade & investment, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, who showcased how the Leeds City Region is home to a huge tech capability and thriving ecosystem, alongside how data and AI is being enabled across West Yorkshire; and Darren Hutton, chief digital officer at Hippo, who explained the firm’s vision for the use of AI in service delivery.
Jonathan Bevan, digital medicines lead at Mid Yorkshire NHS Teaching Trust, also outlined how AI was harnessed to design a software tool to support patient safety through a human-centred and responsible approach, while Professor Liz Breen, director of the Digital Health Enterprise Zone and Professor of Health Service Operations at the University of Bradford explored how AI talent and capability was being developed as part of its Health Innovation initiatives.
Liz Whitefield, executive director, Hippo, summed up: “We have a really important role to play in proving how you can deliver value and make amazing outcomes for citizens. To do that here in the North is something we’re all incredibly proud of. There have been some really interesting themes in the presentations, not least about the importance of being clear about what you want to achieve and not just doing AI for the sake of it. Sharing information across the world to provide better public services for everyone drives our mission.”
