The UK Government, in partnership with the Alan Turing Institute and backed by a generous grant from Meta, is launching a groundbreaking initiative – a 12-month Open-Source AI Fellowship. The primary objective of this fellowship is to bring highly skilled AI engineers into government roles to create open-source AI tools that will revolutionize public services, drive productivity, and bolster national security.
These innovative tools will have diverse applications across the public sector, including high-security scenarios like language translation in national security contexts and utilizing construction planning data to streamline approvals processes for housing projects. Additionally, they aim to enhance the efficiency of civil servants through tools like “Humphrey,” a suite of AI tools that assist in various administrative tasks, allowing civil servants to focus on more strategic responsibilities.
AI engineers participating in this fellowship will focus on leveraging open-source AI models to reduce costs for taxpayers and unlock substantial productivity gains of up to £45 billion across the public sector. This initiative aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision to harness the full potential of AI to transform governance, emphasizing that AI should be utilized where it can deliver better results at a lower cost than traditional methods.
Peter Kyle, the Technology Secretary, highlighted the practical significance of this Fellowship in driving tangible outcomes that benefit the public. The aim is to scale the impact of AI expertise in government operations, particularly in critical areas such as national security and essential infrastructure.
In conjunction with the fellowship, ‘Caddy,’ an AI assistant designed to support call center workers, has been open-sourced for global benefit. Through successful trials at Citizens’ Advice and deployment within central government departments, Caddy has demonstrated significant improvements in response times, accuracy, and advisor confidence, ultimately enhancing service delivery.
Furthermore, the government is expanding the AI Knowledge Hub, a platform that facilitates knowledge sharing and best practices for AI implementation across departments. The Hub aims to accelerate the transition from pilot projects to impactful, scalable solutions, with upcoming features such as the Prompt Library to enhance productivity and service efficiency.
AI engineers interested in participating in the fellowship can register their interest before the upcoming application launch in January 2026. This collaborative effort between the UK Government, the Alan Turing Institute, and Meta reflects a commitment to leveraging AI advancements for public good and addressing significant societal challenges through open-source innovation.
