Microsoft and UK Government sign a deal to fuel AI innovation

Government agencies also entered into a partnership with Oracle to run theirshared services platform

The UK Government wants to increase the speed of innovation across the public sector, making it more efficient while improving cross-departmental collaboration, and also delivering improved services for its citizens.

In order to make that a reality, Crown Commercial Service (CCS), on behalf of UK government, announced on Monday that it signed a five-year agreement with Microsoft. The deal will give government agencies access to Microsoft’s portfolio of AI-powered products and services.

CCS is an executive agency and trading fund of the Cabinet Office of the UK Government, responsible for managing the procurement of common goods and services, increasing savings for the taxpayer by centralizing buying requirements, and leading on procurement policy on behalf of the government.

Beginning on November 1, eligible public sector organizations, via their chosen procurement route, will have access to cost savings on Microsoft 365, the Azure cloud platform, and Business Applications, as well as Microsoft 365 Copilot, which embeds generative AI into Microsoft’s suite of productivity apps, for the first time. 

The idea is to automate repetitive tasks and content generation and to enhance collaboration so that these agencies have more time to pursue their digital transformation and to innovate. The ultimate goal is to created a workforce with the digital skills necessary in the age of AI.

In the meantime, Microsoft says it's already developing new certifications and skilling programs for public sector employees, while also investing in its Enterprise Skills Initiative. In addition, the company notes that it aims to make events, workshops, self-paced learning and certifications available for users across the UK government.