The Scottish Government is to put artificial intelligence, automation and modernised digital infrastructure at the heart of a five-year programme to transform how a ‘smaller’ civil service will operate.

Technology and data should make work easier and free civil servants to concentrate on tasks requiring human judgement, with AI already being used to remove some repetitive manual work, according to the new Serving Scotland plan.

The plan, covering the period 2026-2031, sets out a series of specific digital milestones, including making Microsoft’s Copilot Premium and Power Platform available across the Scottish Government – starting this year – alongside training and support to help staff use AI responsibly and effectively.

The government also plans to begin developing and deploying AI agents that can assist staff with tasks, access information and interact with business systems through secure and governed digital platforms.

From 2026, the government will scale the ‘responsible and ethical use of AI, automation and work redesign’ across its operations, the 22-page document states.

By 2030, it expects these capabilities to be embedded in everyday working, reducing administrative workloads and supporting better decision-making. An AI and Automation Centre of Excellence will coordinate and govern the programme, with the aim of turning successful approaches into shared and reusable services across government.

In a foreword to the recently-published document, the head of the civil service in Scotland, Joe Griffin, said the world was “changing” and so must government, and that “difficult decisions” lie ahead.

He said: “It’s our job to take practical action to improve people’s lives. Public service reform must continue to be driven from within the Scottish Government. We have a responsibility to lead by example and show what modern, efficient and effective government looks like.

“Becoming a smaller, more focused organisation is part of that change. I recognise the scale and impact of the challenge, and I want to be direct about what it means. Some areas of work will need to stop or be consolidated. We need to bring greater clarity to our priorities, invest more in our skills and technology, and reduce the bureaucracy that
can slow things down day-to-day.

“Some roles will not be replaced as people leave, including some leadership roles. We will need to change how we work.”

The wider technology programme will also include a ‘corporate digital plan’ in 2027, setting out a phased programme to modernise the Scottish Government’s internal IT systems.

A new Oracle Cloud staff directory and HR self-service tools are also planned, alongside a replacement IT service desk. Meanwhile, the government aims to achieve Cyber Essentials Plus certification and compliance with the UK Government’s Cyber Assessment Framework by 2027, arguing that stronger security will be essential to supporting the safe deployment of AI and digital services.

Digital skills are another part of the transformation programme. The Scottish Government says its recent ‘capability review’ identified areas where digital and data skills need to improve, and commits to strengthening those capabilities across professions. The plan also envisages greater use of data and evidence in policy delivery and more cross-system collaboration.

The technology programme forms one of four central strands of the five-year plan, which aims to create a smaller, more focused and less bureaucratic civil service. The government says it will judge progress partly on whether staff spend less time on process and more time on work that makes a difference, with progress against the plan to be reviewed annually and reported publicly.

And the Scottish Government will work with the newly-formed Public Services Delivery Scotland. That agency – a merger between NHS National Services Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland – will be tasked with providing shared corporate services and technology to smaller public bodies.

And in wording that could presage significant reduction in force, the plan says: “We will explore further ways to achieve the right size and shape for the organisation, engaging with our trade unions. This may include, for example, a voluntary exit scheme, which would be developed with the engagement of trade unions, subject to ministerial approval, and communicated transparently to colleagues.”

But the document is bullish on the potential for AI to help transform government services for the better.

It says: “Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming what’s possible in public service delivery. AI and automation is
already removing repetitive, manual work from our processes, freeing skilled people to focus on what needs human judgement. But we are not yet using this to its full potential, to make the best use of the resources we have.

“These challenges are not unique to our organisation. The Future Civil Service programme sets out plans for reform of the wider UK Civil Service. Where there are areas of joint interest, we are pursuing parallel programmes that serve our ministerial and organisational context.”