New Artificial Intelligence Policy
ChatGPT, Copilot, Google Assistant – these are just a few of the growing Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools that you’ve no doubt heard of, if not used. AI technology is rapidly evolving. We see it in the news daily and it’s a hot topic of discussion among businesses.
There’s no doubt that AI brings many potential opportunities, but there are significant risks we all need to consider before using AI within council operations.
To help guide you on the safe and constructive use of AI, the Policy and Resources Committee approved a new AI Policy today. This policy is available on the council website and offers essential guidance to all staff. It ensures that AI usage is ethical, complies with relevant laws, regulations, and council policies, and aligns with the council’s existing information and security policies, including the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).
To help you, we’ve also prepared these useful questions and answers:
What is AI and what kind of things can it be used for?
AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is computer technology that can perform some tasks that typically have required human intelligence and in-put. It can be used for many things, for example, answering questions, producing minutes or reports, or supporting customer service.
How does AI do that?
It does this in different ways. A key thing is that it does everything very quickly. For example to answer questions the computer technology searches for information already available on the internet and other digital channels, and from there pulls together answers based on the information it identifies as relevant to the question asked.
What are the potential advantages of AI?
A key benefit is that AI can save employee time and so increase efficiency and productivity by automating routine tasks, enhancing customer service through automated answers to questions, and help manage risks for example by predicting maintenance needs. It is also another route for people finding information about the council, for example if a potential job candidate does a search for Argyll and Bute Council.
What are its potential risks?
There are significant risks for example in relation to accuracy, information security, reputation, and political bias.
• Accuracy: AI pulls together information it identifies as relevant to questions asked; as the internet holds information that is both accurate and inaccurate, this means that AI information needs to be checked for accuracy.
• Information security: AI works in effect like a big library, full of the information that people upload into it. Once in the AI ‘library’ (or large language model) the information is available for others to find. Confidential or sensitive information therefore is not secure.
• Reputation: as AI does not distinguish between what is accurate or inaccurate information, or confidential or non-sensitive information, it could produce reputationally damaging information.
Why do we need a policy for how the council uses it?
We need a policy because, as outlined above, AI offers both advantages and risks to the council. A policy would be there to help employees assess how to make effective use of AI and work in the interests of the council and communities in doing so. AI has been available for some time, but with the advent of GenAi, where new content can be created in response to a user’s prompt from search engines such as Google and Bing, the technology is now much more accessible, and therefore, we have to manage all associated risks
What can I use Copilot or other AI software for?
Microsoft 365 users currently have access to a limited version of Copilot via their M365 homepage. However, this version isn’t secure and should not be used when dealing with any council information that is confidential, personal, or financial. Information typed into these tools is openly available to anyone who uses them, so you should not upload information to AI software that you would not share with the world. The ICT team is taking steps to implement Copilot in a fully licensed and secure way within the council network. This will provide a safe way for staff to access all of its benefits whilst protecting data belonging to the council and its customers. Further information about this will be announced soon.
What about if we share council information with contractors and they want to use AI to manage it?
Contractor’s use of AI with council information would also be subject to the policy. This should be clarified and agreed upon with contractors.
Who do I contact if I have any questions about using AI?
Please email your questions to workingtogether@argyll-bute.gov.uk
