Derby City Council has axed two jobs and saved £200,000 using artificial intelligence (AI) to run its services. The council revealed the cuts in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
The council has also reduced its number of contractors by introducing automated phone and web chat services called Darcie and Ali. The council says this is part of a plan to make its processes faster and cheaper.
The council’s boss, Paul Simpson, said the job cuts affected only a tiny part of the council’s 3,000 staff. He said AI was not meant to eliminate workers but to make their work more accessible and strategic.
Simpson said contractors and agency staff were only used for extra work, and AI helped the council save money without losing quality.
