HM Fire Service Inspectorate's use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): FOI release

Information requested

1. AI Systems in use

• A list of tools, platforms or systems currently deployed or being piloted/trialled.
• The purpose and function of each of the above.
• The departments or services where these are operational.

2. Procurement and development

• Details of any contracts, tenders or partnerships with external providers for AI solutions.
• Total expenditure on AI related technologies over the past three financial years, broken down by year.

3. Governance and Ethical Oversight

• Copies of, or information relating to, any internal policies, frameworks or guidance documents relating to the use of AI.
• Any ethical review processes or risk assessments conducted prior to deployment.
• Details of any group responsible for the oversight of AI use within your organisation.

4. Impact on Workforce

• Any assessments, reports or internal communications regarding the impact of AI on staffing levels, job roles or workforce planning (including recruitment, redundancy).
• Information on any roles that have been automated, restructured or made redundant due to AI implementation.
• Details of any training, redeployment or upskilling initiatives offered to staff in response to the adoption of AI.
• Any consultations with trade unions or staff representatives regarding AI-related changes.

5. Performance and Evaluation

• Evaluations, audits or performance reviews of AI systems, as referenced in section 1.
• Evidence of how AI systems have affected service delivery, decision-making or operational efficiency.

6. Data protection and privacy

• Types of data used to train or operate AI systems, including whether this data is synthetic or not.
• Measures in place to ensure compliance with data protection legislation, including the DPA 2018 and UK GDPR.
• Procedures for handling bias, transparency and accountability in AI decision-making.

Response

1. AI Systems in use

• A list of tools, platforms or systems currently deployed or being piloted/trialled.
• The purpose and function of each of the above.
• The departments or services where these are operational.

HM Fire Service Inspectorate (HMFSI) uses the Scottish Government ICT infrastructure and as such has generic access to Microsoft M365 Copilot Chat as part of the ICT products used within the Scottish Government. However, HMFSI does not have a licence for, or use M365 Copilot or any AI in the performance of its functions. HMFSI staff are able to access and use any publicly available AI system subject to any constraints imposed on the use of ICT systems, on an ad hoc basis.

2. Procurement and development

• Details of any contracts, tenders or partnerships with external providers for AI solutions.
• Total expenditure on AI related technologies over the past three financial years, broken down by year.

As mentioned in the answer to question 1 above HMFSI uses Scottish Government ITC systems and has no role in the procurement or development of AI Solutions.

3. Governance and Ethical Oversight

• Copies of, or information relating to, any internal policies, frameworks or guidance documents relating to the use of AI.
• Any ethical review processes or risk assessments conducted prior to deployment.
• Details of any group responsible for the oversight of AI use within your organisation.

HMFSI does not have any governance or oversight documents or groups.

4. Impact on Workforce

• Any assessments, reports or internal communications regarding the impact of AI on staffing levels, job roles or workforce planning (including recruitment, redundancy).
• Information on any roles that have been automated, restructured or made redundant due to AI implementation.
• Details of any training, redeployment or upskilling initiatives offered to staff in response to the adoption of AI.
• Any consultations with trade unions or staff representatives regarding AI-related changes.

There have been no reports or internal communications regarding the impact of AI on staffing levels, job roles or workforce planning (including recruitment, redundancy). No roles within HMFSI have been automated, restructured or made redundant due to AI implementation.

As users of Scottish Government ICT systems, HMFSI staff have been offered training/upskilling in Copilot.

No HMFSI staff have been offered redeployment in response to AI.

HMFSI is not an employer and has no consultation with trade unions or staff representatives regarding AI-related changes.

5. Performance and Evaluation

• Evaluations, audits or performance reviews of AI systems, as referenced in section 1.
• Evidence of how AI systems have affected service delivery, decision-making or operational efficiency.

HMFSI has carried out no performance and evaluation.

6. Data protection and privacy

• Types of data used to train or operate AI systems, including whether this data is synthetic or not.
• Measures in place to ensure compliance with data protection legislation, including the DPA 2018 and UK GDPR.
• Procedures for handling bias, transparency and accountability in AI decision-making.

HMFSI has no information relevant to this question.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.