The UK government is under immense pressure to respond to geopolitical instability, financial pressures and rapid technological change - but traditional policymaking methods are struggling to keep pace. AI has the potential to transform how government makes decisions, delivers public services and responds to a rapidly changing world - but what would a smart AI-enabled state actually look like? And is the government ready to adopt and embed AI?

With Andy Burnham now two-thirds of the way through his first 100 days in Downing Street, AI is a topic he has already had to face head-on. But might Burnham’s new government use AI to build a smarter, more agile state?

To dive into this question, Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy sat down with Sir Geoff Mulgan, former head of the Number 10 Strategy Unit, on our deep-dive series from the Policy Fix podcast: Andy Burnham’s first 100 days.

Our duo discuss the areas where AI could transform policymaking, allowing civil servants to analyse evidence, test ideas and model scenarios at speed - and why avoiding AI-dependence while keeping human judgement intact is critical.

The conversation explores what an AI-enabled government could mean for Andy Burnham’s approach to public control, how AI could make regulators smarter, whether public services could continuously learn and improve and what a more democratic alternative to centralised, authoritarian uses of AI might look like.

So, as Andy Burnham approaches the end of his first 100 days, what could he do to start modernising the state with AI? Listen to our latest episode to find out. Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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Sir Geoff Mulgan, professor of collective intelligence, public policy and social innovation, University College London (UCL)

Geoff Mulgan has worked in governments, civil society, philanthropy, investment and academia and is currently a professor at University College London (UCL), in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Policy team (STEaPP) in the engineering department. Previously, he was CEO of Nesta, the UK's innovation foundation (2011-2019), and from 2004-2011 the first CEO of the Young Foundation. From 1997-2004 he had roles in the UK government including director of the Government's Strategy Unit, director of the Performance and Innovation Unit and head of policy in the Prime Minister's office. Geoff has been a reporter on BBC TV and radio and was the founder/co-founder of many organisations, including Demos, Uprising, the Social Innovation Exchange, the Australia Centre for Social Innovation and Action for Happiness. He has overseen commercial venture funds as well as impact investment funds, and was an investment executive in Greater London Enterprise. He has a PhD in telecommunications and has been visiting professor at LSE and Melbourne University, and is currently a senior visiting scholar at Harvard University.

Ravi Gurumurthy, group chief executive officer, Nesta

Ravi Gurumurthy is group chief executive officer, joining Nesta as chief executive in December 2019. Nesta’s mission is to design, test and scale solutions to society's biggest challenges, from sustainability and health to educational inequality.

Ravi also leads the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT), often known as the ‘Nudge Unit’. BIT has grown from a small team in No 10 Downing Street to a 250-person global social purpose consultancy and a subsidiary of Nesta.

Prior to joining Nesta, Ravi co-founded and led the Airbel Innovation Lab at the International Rescue Committee. He was responsible for designing new products and services for people affected by crises in over 40 countries.

Ravi worked in the UK government from 1999 to 2013. He was an adviser and speechwriter to Foreign Secretary David Miliband, leading the creation of Every Child Matters and the Children Act 2004, and the world’s first legally binding climate legislation.

Ravi has held a number of non-executive roles, including lead non-executive director for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.