Gavin Freeguard

Think AI for Government- October 2025

And I'm chairing:
- 22 Oct: Think AI for Gov thinkdigitalpartner.zohobackstage.eu/ThinkAIforGo...
- 12 Nov: Think Digital Gov thinkdigitalpartner.zohobackstage.eu/ThinkDigital...
- 3 Dec: Think Data for Gov thinkdigitalpartner.zohobackstage.eu/ThinkDatafor...

(Free for public sector attendees!)

September 2025 event write-up Hi everyone,

At the previous @transformgovtalks.bsky.social event, we heard from @moiranics.bsky.social & Holly Marquez (Cabinet Office) about rolling an AI tool out across government medium.com/@transformgo...

(As well as @bensauer.net on storytelling)

TransformGov Talks : October 2025 · Luma Join us at 5.30pm for a 6pm start. Ed Humpherson, Office for Statistics Regulation, on why 'transformation' has been so challenging for official…

At 6pm, Wed 29 October (online/London SW1), it's the 10th @transformgovtalks.bsky.social

Speakers include head of the Office for Statistics Regulation, Ed Humpherson, on why 'transformation' has been so challenging for official statistics

luma.com/3c92r9qr

🚨 DATA BITES KLAXON 🚨

Join @publicdigital.bsky.social & me at 6pm on Thurs 23 Oct (online/London SW1) for an AI SPECIAL

Speakers include:
- James Ancell, Joint Data and Analysis Centre, Cabinet Office
- Simon McLellan, @metoffice.gov.uk
- @elmosmoe.bsky.social, @scottishaialliance.bsky.social

Data and AI public engagement: Community of Practice On Wednesday 15 January 2025 we held the fourth meeting of a community of practice as part of our project on Giving communities a powerful say in public sector data and AI projects.

We heard from @civicdatacoop.bsky.social about their work at a previous meeting, connectedbydata.org/events/2025-...

And they spoke about the Liverpool City Region Residents' Assembly on Data and AI Innovation at Data Bites in June public.digital/pd-insights/...

Speaking of which...

Data and AI public engagement: Community of Practice On Wednesday 8 October 2025 at 2pm we will hold the twelfth meeting of a community of practice as part of our project on Giving communities a powerful say in public sector data and AI projects.

Do you like EVENTS about DATA & AI?

Well...

- Wed 8 Oct, 2pm, online
- @connectedbydata.org data & AI public engagement community of practice
- @gileslane.bsky.social @raeng.org.uk on their People's AI Stewardship Summits & Anna Beckett on evaluating @civicdatacoop.bsky.social Residents’ Assembly

It's not, but the Multiverse story is false

If you follow the link, you'll see it's not true

Have I Got News For You episode removed from iPlayer after 'jaw-dropping error' 'An incredibly basic failure of fact-checking.'

#impact

metro.co.uk/2025/10/04/g...

I don't see anything in that piece which proves otherwise?

The first thing we at @fullfact.org always ask people when they see something online is how does it make you feel? If it seems too good to be true, take a moment and consider if you should post it/say it on a prime time panel show

fullfact.org/toolkit/

Clip 👇

bsky.app/profile/jame...

Has Euan Blair’s company Multiverse been chosen to run the government’s new digital ID scheme? – Full Fact Multiverse is an “upskilling company”, not a software developer, and both it and the government say there’s no truth to viral claims linking it to the scheme.

Absolutely astonished @hignfy.bsky.social just stated that Multiverse will be running the government's digital ID scheme

An incredibly basic failure of fact-checking

fullfact.org/technology/d...

Emily Weeknotes What I’ve been doing As I planned last week I’ve finished the Board minutes drafting and they’re now with the Board for review. I also enjoyed an insight meeting with our India based partners around l...

My #weeknotes for @connectedbydata.org including reading @gavinfreeguard.bsky.social and @timdavies.org.uk (finally), and thinking about analogies for AI.

connectedbydata.org/weeknotes/20...

Introducing the GOV Reuse Library The GOV Reuse Library is a new cross-government initiative designed to help teams work smarter, faster, and more collaboratively by reusing proven digital service components. Developed by the Ministry...

mojdigital.blog.gov.uk/2025/10/02/i...

People sit in rows, smiling for the camera.

A bordered square rotated slightly clockwise, inside which are the words, "One Team Gov".

Work in or around the #PublicSector? Fancy a breakfast time natter, and optional co-working day?

The last 3 #OneTeamGov North #Manchester meetups of 2025 are on Tuesday:
🐝 21 October,
🐝 18 November,
🐝 16 December.

Sign up via www.eventbrite.com/o/hosted-by-...

I mean, would watch

Our final panel of the day starts now at the Revolucion de Cuba - join us and the London School of Economics for 'Next-Gen Government: Data & AI in Public Service'.
Featuring @iosad.fyi and @gavinfreeguard.bsky.social.

Data and AI public engagement: Community of Practice On Wednesday 8 October 2025 at 2pm we will hold the twelfth meeting of a community of practice as part of our project on Giving communities a powerful say in public sector data and AI projects.

🪧 Data & AI public engagement community of practice. On Wed 8 Oct 2pm we will be joined by @gileslane.bsky.social @raeng.org.uk on their People's AI Stewardship Summits & Anna Beckett on evaluating @civicdatacoop.bsky.social Residents’ Assembly.

🔗 Register at connectedbydata.org/events/2025...

5/7 📠 LabourList and LSE's panel will explore how the government can use AI and data to modernise the state, with insights from LSE’s own Dr Cosmina Dorobantu. Featuring @iosad.fyi and @gavinfreeguard.bsky.social.

Heading to Liverpool? 👇

This is exciting! A monthly newsletter - quick, sign up so you get the first one this weekend!!

1) we’ve required ID without infrastructure for it for 15 years now, so something needed to be better.

(I will obviously be using Bluesky this year, and yes I've already found the earliest mince-pie-in-the-supermarket photo)

Weirdly, this seems relevant to some of The Discourse today

Public backs ‘super ID card’ which could be used to report potholes Ministers have recently said they are considering introducing a form of digital ID for adults in Britain

Cannot stress enough how it is already possible to report potholes www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

Read the autumn 2025 issue of Civil Service World Can government break the link between background and opportunity? Plus: exclusive interviews with civil service reform DG Janet Hughes, MoJ digital...

Great (if not surprising!) to see such a strong emphasis on openness, collaboration and community from @janethughes.bsky.social in the latest @civilserviceworld.bsky.social

www.civilserviceworld.com/in-depth/art...

that second para tho. LOL. They aren't - it's TBI all the way up and down. Where is civil society in this, where is small tech?

🤨

We were lucky enough to have Sian from Data Orchard talk about last year's report at @publicdigital.bsky.social Data Bites last December: public.digital/pd-insights/...