AI in Local Government: Adoption, Benefits and Challenges

This report provides a timely stocktake of how artificial intelligence is being adopted in local government, what benefits are emerging, and what barriers still limit its wider deployment. It draws on analysis of 101 published AI case studies and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, from local and central government, government agencies, academia, and private sector experts.

The report finds that maturity of usage varies significantly across councils, but that there is particularly strong emerging use of large language model (LLM) tools for tasks such as note-taking, transcription, drafting and translation, as well as use of chatbots both internally and on a customer-facing basis. Wider use cases across the sector include sensor-enabled systems, predictive analytics and some early robotics applications. Quantification of benefits is mixed, but strongest in terms of organisational efficiency improvements, as well as benefits for customers.

“Local authority usage of artificial intelligence (AI) is increasing. Many councils consider themselves to be at a relatively early stage of adoption, but there is also evidence of increasingly sophisticated implementation. The promise of AI is that it can help address the many challenges facing local authorities arising from the longstanding financial pressures they face, coupled with rising service demand from residents.”

Kevin Fenning

The report concludes that AI can deliver meaningful efficiency and service-quality gains, but that councils need stronger evidence, better capability, careful governance, and practical support from the wider sector and Government to adopt AI responsibly and at scale.

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Meet the Author

Kevin Fenning is the Founder of Evidence First and a Fellow of the Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub. Kevin leads research and analysis for a wide range of public and private organisations, including local government, central government, universities and colleges, and business representative organisations. Local and regional economic development is a core focus of his work, which involves analysis and policy work in thematic areas such as businesses and sectors, labour markets and skills, innovation, housing, infrastructure, net zero, and health.   

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Publications

Building Civic Capability: A Life Course Framework for Place

Building Civic Capability: A Life Course Framework for Place argues that civic capability should be understood as strategic civic infrastructure rather than isolated participation initiatives. Drawing on theories of human development, democratic innovation, and public value, the paper introduces a practical life-course framework that helps places intentionally cultivate and accumulate

Addressing Local Economic Disparities: Learning From Policy Failure in the UK

This report examines why, after more than four decades of national policy, the UK remains one of the most interregionally unequal countries in the industrialised world. Drawing on the academic discipline of policy failure, it applies a common framework to eight major UK instruments – from the Regional Development Agencies

Communities in Their Places Evidence Review

The LPIP Hub “Communities in their Places” evidence review shows that while communities are central to addressing local economic, social and environmental challenges, their ability to do so varies widely depending on policy frameworks, resources and local capacity. It highlights that “community” is a complex, overlapping concept, but strong social