FOI reference: FOI-2026-3501
You asked
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide the following information as held by your organisation:
Are staff within your organisation under a general instruction to use AI or Generative AI tools to assist your work?
Is your organisation currently using AI or Generative AI tools to assist your work?
Does your organisation use AI or Generative AI tools as part of its recruitment processes?
Does your organisation have an AI strategy?
If your organization does not have an AI strategy, is it planning to have an AI strategy?
We said
FOI reference: FOI-2026-3501
Thank you for your request.
Please see the answers to your questions below.
1. No. Staff are not under a general instruction or requirement to use AI or Generative AI tools to assist their work. Where AI tools are used, staff must follow organisational policy and use approved AI services responsibly and securely, remaining accountable for outputs.
2. Yes. ONS is currently using and/or trialling approved AI tools to assist work activities for example, Microsoft 365 Copilot, under governance and acceptable-use controls.
3. ONS does not use AI to make decisions regarding recruitment. ONS has used AI/Generative AI tools to support recruitment activity, such as generating recruitment materials for job adverts and interview questions. These tools are used to support drafting and administration rather than to make final hiring decisions.
4. ONS does not have a separately published, standalone AI strategy. Our approach to AI is included within our Digital and Data strategies, supported by agreed AI vision/intent and governance arrangements.
5. ONS is not planning to develop a separate standalone AI strategy; the organisation's AI approach is intended to be contained within the Digital and Data strategies.