UK government rollout of Humphrey AI tool raises fears about reliance on big tech

The UK government is pushing ahead with its rollout of "Humphrey," an AI tool designed to streamline public sector operations, but critics are raising eyebrows over its rapid adoption. Turns out, Humphrey is built on AI models from tech giants like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, sparking concerns about Whitehall's growing dependence on big tech—especially while debates rage about AI's use of copyrighted data. Ministers are betting big on AI to modernize the civil service, but skeptics worry the rush might overlook ethical and practical pitfalls.