UK civil servants, along with officials at other levels of government and in other countries, face a potentially transformative moment in the adoption of digital tools with the availability of Large Language Models (LLMs).
As these powerful Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems reshape how organisations process information and deliver services, civil servants need to navigate unprecedented opportunities for enhanced public service delivery and complex challenges of responsible implementation. Given their capabilities, the use of LLMs can enable efficiencies including speeding up some tasks such as evidence synthesis or summarising very large numbers of documents. The integration of LLMs into civil service operations occurs within an established framework of accountability, data protection, and service standards. Civil servants face the challenge of harnessing these powerful new tools while maintaining their high standards or reliability and accountability. This challenge is particularly acute given the pressure to improve efficiency and effectiveness in public service delivery while ensuring robust governance and maintaining public trust.
This paper complements the Generative AI Framework for HMG, providing detailed implementation
approaches specifically for LLM integration. While the HMG Framework establishes overarching principles for generative AI use across government, this guidance serves as a practical framework for understanding and implementing LLMs within civil service, aiming to bridge the gap between technological potential and practical implementation, providing civil servants with clear, actionable insights for responsible LLM integration.
This guidance primarily focuses on civil service policy development, analysis, and administrative functions in the UK, while acknowledging distinct applications in frontline service delivery. Different civil service functions – from policy development to public-facing services – may require varied approaches to LLM implementation.
While examples here primarily address policy and analytical work, the principles can be adapted for service delivery contexts, and indeed for contexts at other levels of government and outside the UK.
Key objectives of this guidance:
- Enable informed decision-making about the use of LLMs
- Ensure alignment with civil service values and standards
- Provide practical frameworks for responsible deployment
- Support effective risk management and governance
- Guide the development of institutional capacity for LLM adoption
