UK researchers pioneer development of robotic bureaucrats

Part of the larger European-funded RoBureauCrat initiative, the aim of the group’s DeMocRAcy (Decision making robotic agents) project is to investigate the development of systems that could bring the benefits of automation to the public sector.

Lead researcher on the project, Professor Joss Itheka told The Engineer that the group will be spreading the funding across two parallel initiatives. One team will work on the development of AI-based decision making algorithms, while another will develop a robotic platform optimised  to work in a typical office environment.

Itheka hopes to combine these two elements in a prototype system early next year and is currently in discussions with a number of local authorities regarding potential trials.

He claimed that if successful the project could make a major contribution to the government’s efforts to cut the deficit. ‘History is littered with examples of austerity providing a spur for innovation, and this project is perhaps the ultimate example of this,’ he said. ‘Putting aside the development and maintenance costs robots can effectively work for free, 24 hours a day seven days a week and could slash billions from government’s operating costs.’