The irony of the situation is clear. A government agency dedicated to assisting the unemployed back into work has signed a substantial contract with IBM to leverage AI—technology often critiqued for its potential to replace human jobs.

The UK’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has entered into an arrangement with IBM, intended to foster the exploration and application of AI to augment its services. This initiative, dubbed Nexus AI by the department, designates IBM as a key supplier for a broad spectrum of AI services, as highlighted in a recent procurement notice.

The contract, initially valued at £9 million for a single year, carries the prospect of renewal for two additional years, potentially doubling the total expenditure.

The DWP’s partnership with IBM encompasses various exploratory projects, including short-term ‘tech spikes’, horizon scans, and demonstrations. They aim to solve pertinent business issues, develop viable product models, and maintain AI-driven solutions.

However, there are significant concerns about the deployment of machine learning and AI in areas involving welfare claimants who may be at risk of bias and privacy infringement.

Despite reassurances from the department about ethical and human-centered AI deployment, watchdogs continue to voice alarm over the opaque nature of such technologies within welfare systems.