Artificial intelligence (AI) could save public sector workers in the UK 23 million hours every week by eliminating basic administrative tasks, according to research commissioned by Microsoft.

The study, Harnessing the power of AI for the public sector, suggests that the scale of administration required of the UK’s public sector is drawing workers away from delivering frontline services.

It found that proper implementation of AI would save an estimated 5.93 million public sector employees four hours every week, equating to 23 million hours in total.

The study, carried out by Dr Chris Brauer, director of innovation at Goldsmiths, University of London, makes various role-specific claims about the role that AI could play in the future.

Doctors and nurses, for example, could save around four and five hours respectively in admin time each week, while teachers could save two hours. The technology could be particularly useful to police forces, which could save each officer an estimated 6.5 hours...