Agenda item 4: AI and the Workplace

Social Partnership Council (SPC) members are asked to: 

• Consider the reports developed by the WPC AI working group, and
• Agree whether there is an appetite to undertake work on the skills and capability associated with AI of the current workforce and if agreed how this work should be progressed 

1. To provide an update to the Social Partnership Council (SPC) on the work of the Workforce Partnership Council (WPC) on the impacts of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the public sector workforce.
    
2. The SPC is asked to consider the reports developed by the WPC AI working group and determine whether the SPC can provide a new focus on the topic of AI and the workforce to build on the WPC’s reports and related recommendations.

3. At the SPC meeting 10 July 2024, a discussion took place on the potential for the SPC to advise on AI implications for the workforce.
    
4. There was consensus across the SPC on the importance of AI implications for the workforce and the need further consideration by the SPC. Members noted the work already being undertaken by the WPC AI working group and their intention to report at the November meeting of the WPC. SPC agreed to avoid duplication they would await the outcome of that work.
    
5. On behalf of the SPC the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership wrote to the WPC requesting their final reports. 

6. The WPC AI working group presented the finalised reports to the WPC on 18 November. The reports were welcomed and accepted by the WPC and will be formally launched at date to be determined.
    
7. The WPC reports include:

• WPC Managing Technology that Manages People – Social Partnership Approach, which offers overarching guidance principles to be followed when implementing and using AI in the workplace, including steps to be completed both prior to and after the implementation of any AI tools or services.
   
• Using AI at Work – A Benchmarking Report on the Awareness and Understanding of AI in the Welsh Public Sector is a small-scale piece of user research which scoped how workers in the Welsh public sector understand AI, particularly how AI related to the workplace.

8. The reports are underpinned by an earlier Assessment of the Public Sector Workforce Implications of AI.
    
9. The WPC AI working group will now focus on communicating and promoting the reports across the devolved public sector. The group will determine a communications plan, and the reports will also be included in the Centre for Digital Public Services Knowledge Hub.
    
10. The WPC AI working group are keen to support the work of the SPC and have requested that the SPC consider some cross-over of membership between the working groups.

11. There are a range of other groups and reviews already established on the topic of AI. This includes the Cross-public sector AI steering group, the Health and Care Commission for AI, a new Senedd inquiry into the impact of AI on the economy and ongoing work by the UK government. We are keen to ensure the work of the WPC group, and any further work by SPC, are taken into account by those other groups and in particular the Steering Group and Commission for AI keep social partnership at the heart of their work. The SPC may also wish to be kept aware of the ongoing work taking place elsewhere. 

12. The SPC is asked to note the reports are included as an annex and consider whether there is a need for the SPC to further develop work on AI and the Welsh workforce and, if so, potential areas on which to focus.
     
13. Welsh Government officials have identified the skills and capabilities of the workforce in relation to AI as a potential theme where there is a current gap, and which would benefit from further consideration and exploration in social partnership.
     
14. The SPC could focus their work on the skills and capabilities associated with AI of the current workforce, as well preparing the workforce of the future.
     
15. Options to progress the work could include the establishment of a working group and/or commissioning of research. The SPC group could draw on the experience of further and higher education, private, public and third sectors and consider materials available across all identified sectors, in addition to the materials and outputs from the WPC AI working group.
     
16. As mentioned in paragraph 10, the inclusion of WPC AI working group members in SPC work could help embed understanding of the reports, avoid duplication, and promote cross-Council engagement. 

17. SPC members are asked to consider if there is an appetite to undertake work in this suggested area and, if so, how this work should be progressed. 

18. If an agreement is reached to establish an SPC AI sub-group, the Secretariat will invite volunteers and suggestions for membership.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

The content of this paper does not raise any significant EDI issues.