Not a single Whitehall department has registered the use of artificial intelligence systems since the government said it would become mandatory, prompting warnings that the public sector is "flying blind" about the deployment of algorithmic technology affecting millions of lives. AI is already being used by government to inform decisions on everything from benefit payments to immigration enforcement, and records show public bodies have awarded dozens of contracts for AI and algorithmic services. A contract for facial recognition software, worth up to 20m, was put up for grabs last week by a police procurement body set up by the Home Office, reigniting concerns about "mass biometric surveillance". But details of only nine algorithmic systems have so far been submitted to a public register, with none of a growing number of AI programs used in the welfare system, by the Home Office or by the police among them. The dearth of information comes despite the government announcing in February this year that the use of the AI register would now be "a requirement for all government departments".

Benefits claimants could soon be using robots to claim cash as the Government speeds up the development of an AI system by working with a billionaire tech boss who declared recently: 'I want a bot for every person'. The Department for Work and Pensions has employed more than 1,000 new IT staff and created an £8million-a-year'intelligent automation garage' to develop up to 100 new robots to help support Britain's welfare system - used by 7million people each year. The UK government is working with New York-based UiPath, co-founded by billionaire Daniel Dines, whose £7billion company is viewed as a future Google of robotics and Artificial Intelligence. Mr Dines' software is already used by Walmart, Toyota and many banks and now will help the DWP develop systems to check benefits claims with tech giants IBM, Tata Consultancy and Capgemini also involved. Developers believe a'virtual workforce' could handle simpler welfare cases and payments faster and with fewer mistakes than today - while more complicated cases would still be dealt with by human staff.

The UK's Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is exploring the use of AI to judge whether benefit claims are true. An £8 million'intelligent automation garage' has been created by the DWP with the goal of developing up to 100 new robots to assist Britain's welfare system. The DWP is working with New York-based UiPath on the system, along with tech giants IBM, Tata Consultancy, and Capgemini. UiPath's systems are already being used by notable brands such as Walmart, Toyota, and several banks. Ultimately, the DWP is billing the new AI system as simplifying the welfare system in order to process and issue benefits payments faster.

Investment in data strategy, technologies that support machine learning and artificial intelligence, and hiring skilled data professionals is a top priority for the UK government. Ministers of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have rolled out and tested AI to automate claims processing and fight fraud within their department. Over the last year, the department unleashed artificial intelligence algorithms to track down large-scale corruption of the benefit and welfare program to stop criminal gangs who are responsible for extremely large losses. Ultimately, this effort protects taxpayers' money and gets the benefits to those who they are intended for. Benefit fraud at the hands of criminal gangs cost the Department of Work and Pensions nearly £2.1 billion in 2016, a rise of £200 million in just one year.