UK government launches limited-functionality smartphone app

The UK government has today launched its much-anticipated smartphone app, “gov.uk,” aimed at streamlining interactions with public services.

Free to download for individuals aged 16 and over, the initial version of the app offers limited functionality, primarily directing users to existing government webpages.

Peter Kyle, the Secretary of State for Science and Technology, acknowledged the app’s current limitations, stating: “The design is not as we would like it to be.” He emphasized that this launch represents a “minimum viable product,” with significant enhancements planned for later in the year.

Future updates are set to include a generative AI chatbot, trained on the extensive 700,000 pages of the gov.uk website. This chatbot, powered by a large language model from Silicon Valley AI firm Anthropic (with assurances that citizen data will not be accessible to Anthropic), is expected to offer intuitive, human-like conversations and provide immediate answers to queries.

Additionally, the app will eventually facilitate the tracking and management of government benefits, such as childcare allowances, and deliver personalized notifications for events such as MOT due dates and voter registration reminders.

A key future development highlighted by Kyle is the integration of a digital wallet, which will house a digital driving licence by the end of the year. This digital ID functionality will also include age-verification features.

While Kyle did not rule out the future inclusion of other sensitive information such as immigration status, he stressed that current plans are focused solely on the driving licence.

Despite its restricted initial capabilities, the app’s launch signifies a pivotal step in the government’s digital transformation agenda, aiming to simplify “life admin” for millions of UK citizens.