# AI saves at least an hour weekly for half of staff in several departments

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/half-of-civil-servants-at-several-whitehall-departments-admit-using-ai-to-save-time-at-work-as-andy-burnham-faces-fresh-questions-over-speechwriter-using-it-to-help-craft-keynote-speech/
- Published: 2026-11-15T21:23:25+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-15T21:32:24+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16294499/Half-civil-servants-Whitehall-departments-admit-using-AI-save-time.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: AI, Technology, World

## Key points

- 27 per cent of civil servants said AI saved them at least an hour weekly.
- Several departments reported figures close to or above half.
- Burnham faced questions after an aide used ChatGPT on a speech.

## Summary

The latest Civil Service People Survey found that around half or more of staff in several Whitehall departments said AI tools saved them at least an hour a week. The figures underline how AI is becoming part of government work, while raising questions about the accuracy and originality of its output and the protection of sensitive information.

The survey drew responses from 343,961 staff across 102 public bodies. The share reporting at least an hour saved was 57 per cent in the science and technology department, 54 per cent in business and trade, 50 per cent in the Treasury, 49 per cent in energy and 48 per cent in the Foreign Office; the Whitehall-wide figure was 27 per cent. The figures emerged as Andy Burnham faced criticism after a Downing Street aide was seen using ChatGPT to help edit a speech for him, and a departmental study found AI saved time on some tasks but made data analysis take longer.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.