“We are pleased to share the Oxford Insights Trustworthy AI Assessment tool. This self assessment tool is designed to help policymakers in government understand how prepared their government is to use AI in a trustworthy way in the public sector. Why did we create this tool? Governments are increasingly using AI in their public services. AI systems are being used to support public services provision, to reshape internal government operations, and to support public priorities outside of government by enabling more efficient and effective use of resources, such as in healthcare, business, and the environment. Governments need to establish practices and put in place safeguards that ensure AI systems work for and protect various groups, including:

• end-users of public services;
• civil and public servants;
• and the general public who can be impacted by government projects.

This is a new challenge for public sector teams because AI systems present unique risks to manage. How can governments be transparent with users about how high-stakes decisions are made, such as about eligibility for social benefits? How can they evaluate the security and robustness of procured AI systems, especially when these systems are not interpretable or procurement officers do not have the tools or access needed to assess them? Internationally, there has already been important work on what high-level principles governments should uphold when using AI systems, including from OECD, UNESCO, and the G7, as well as from national governments. There is a significant overlap and agreement between organisations and researchers who have developed these principles for AI. However, how teams implement these principles in the design and delivery of AI projects is more difficult. As situations and contexts differ, there is no ‘one-size fits all’ approach to implementation. While every government must take action towards trustworthy AI, exactly how they take action should be based on the structures, skills, and priorities of their government. Developing an approach to implementing the principles of trustworthy AI in government projects is best begun by understanding the present position: how prepared is the government currently? What progress has already been made and where is there still work to be done? The Oxford Insights AI Readiness Assessment helps governments to answer these questions and determine their own existing strengths and weaknesses…”