250,000 public-sector jobs at risk from AI over the next 13 years

Total at risk still only accounts for about 2.5 per cent of all public sector jobs in the UK

As many as 250,000 public sector jobs are at risk from the rise of artificial intelligence over the next 13 years, according to a report from politcal think-tank Reform.

It claims the the "growing sophistication of government websites and chat bots" could see 130,000 Whitehall administrators, or 90 per cent of current civil service staff, replaced by robots by 2030, saving around roughly £2.6bn annually.

Another 90,000 NHS admins and 24,000 GP receptionists could also be replaced, saving £1.7bn a year. And it's not just administrative staff that could be affected, with Reform claiming that about 30 per cent of nursing activities, such as collecting information and administering non-intravenous medication, could soon become automated.

Robots and AI could also be used to carry out relatively simple medical procedures such as administering anaesthesia and analysing radiology scans, according to the report.

"The accuracy of decision-making can be further improved by using artificial intelligence to make complex decisions and by understanding why mistakes that, for example, cause 10 per cent of hospital patients to suffer from medical error, are made," it claims.

The think tank, which advocates the reduction of staff in favour of automation, says the public sector can become the 'next Uber' if it uses technology to deliver the taxpayer better value for money.

Commenting on the report, Chas Moloney, director of Ricoh UK said that the government needs to ensure that staff are trained up to ensure they are able to continue working in

"The rising tide of technology change brings with it seismic shifts to workplace culture, with digitisation and automation becoming core elements of public sector operations.

"As the government presses ahead with its paperless agenda in areas such as the NHS, public sector decision makers should concentrate on skills development and training for employees adapting to new ways of working.

"There can be no complacency when it comes to improving the digital dexterity of the workforce and it's vital that every effort is made to ensure workers are equipped with the necessary skills to thrive in new digital working environments."