The Cambridge Journal of Law, Politics, and Art has published my article Digital Government at the Crossroads. It explores the need for a radical rethink and reset to ‘digital government’ initiativ…| New tech observations from the UK (ntouk)
I was kindly asked to write a guest article for the Digital Government Network to provide an overview of my book Fracture. The collision between technology and democracy—and how we fix it. The book…| New tech observations from the UK (ntouk)
21.03.2024: UPDATE. The second edition has now been published. Available from Amazon.co.uk and local Amazon outlets, and all good book bookshops as it works its way through the system. The second edition of my book Fracture is taking shape. It’s going to be a major rework and restructure, taking account of feedback from readers and […]| New tech observations from the UK (ntouk)
The UK government sees artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for ‘national renewal’. But unless it overhauls its approach to policymaking and delivery for the AI age, its plans are doomed to fail. After all, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a UK government announce its belief that technology is about to unleash a […]| New tech observations from the UK (ntouk)
I was at a very enjoyable roundtable discussion the other evening when the conversation moved onto the topic of technology and the environment. It seemed like an appropriate moment to discuss a few of the issues I explore in my book Fracture. I’ve been reflecting on that discussion over the past week. It’s prompted me […]| New tech observations from the UK (ntouk)
Unless current election polling proves to be massively mistaken, the UK is on the brink of a Labour government. But what will that mean for long-standing government efforts to deliver a “digital transformation” of the public sector? Computer Weekly has provided useful insight into how the Lib Dems, Conservatives, and Labour view the role of technology — from a […]| New tech observations from the UK (ntouk)
The next government will face many challenges. From NHS waiting lists to a housing and cost-of-living crisis, an increase in childhood poverty, climate change, a fractured relationship between national and local government, ageing national infrastructure, a volatile geopolitical environment, and complex technological threats ranging from cyber-attacks to the corrosive manipulation of social media. Government would […]| New tech observations from the UK (ntouk)
Nadia certainly lives up to the promise of its subtitle: it’s an emotional rollercoaster of a ride through an ever-evolving landscape of politics, bigotry, and artificial intelligence (AI). It wrenches at our emotions, from exhilarating moments of excitement and hope, to chasms of profound anger and despair. I don’t think I’ve been quite so swept […]| New tech observations from the UK (ntouk)
There seems to be growing problem with the reliability and legality of digital government programmes. These problems range from breaches of the rule of law to the routine loss or alteration of data in mission critical national systems — a problem worryingly similar to the failed Post Office Horizon system. Examples being reported include: We’re in […]| New tech observations from the UK (ntouk)
The second edition of Fracture. The collision between technology and democracy—and how we fix it is out. It draws on over thirty years of “digital transformation” initiatives to explore…| New tech observations from the UK (ntouk)
A couple of recent UK government announcements indicate a renewed interest in a more substantial “government transformation” than the website-government model of recent years. The state…| New tech observations from the UK (ntouk)
What is it with governments’ obsession with forms? Politicians have been promising us a “digital revolution” in the way government works since the mid-1990s. And yet here we are b…| New tech observations from the UK (ntouk)
The big consultancy companies have gone into overdrive hyping up artificial intelligence (AI). They boast it’s going to help governments “become more cost efficient and increase citizen satis…| New tech observations from the UK (ntouk)
Banks, digital identity, and government have a long and mixed history. The UK government first started exploring the option of using banks in the 1990s, experimenting with identity verification and…| New tech observations from the UK (ntouk)
