Disclosure Log

Use of AI (FOI/7051)

Message from Nottinghamshire County Council - 15 January 2026

Dear Requester,
Request FOI/7051
Further to your request received on 8th January 2026, I confirm that the Council has now considered your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Questions & Answers)
I am submitting an FOI request seeking to understand how public bodies are exploring or applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support service delivery. These questions are intended to gather insights into current practice, governance, and future planning. They should not be interpreted as critical; we are simply researching how public services are approaching emerging technologies.

Please provide answers to the following:

1. AI Use in Operations 
  • Does your organisation currently use any form of Artificial Intelligence (AI) or automated systems in its operations   Yes
  • If yes, please list the tools or systems in use and provide a brief description of their purpose (e.g., administrative support, triage, analytics, chatbot services, etc.). Exempt (See below) for the list of tools.  Use is for Administrative Support
  • If not, please state whether your organisation has explored or piloted any AI-based technologies in the past 3 years. N/A

2. AI for Decision-Making
  • Does your organisation use AI or algorithmic systems to support or inform decision-making in any area (e.g., resource allocation, risk assessments, case prioritisation) No
  • If yes, please describe the type of decision-making supported and the nature of the AI’s role (e.g., advisory, automated assessment, automated decision). N/A
  • Please also confirm whether human oversight is applied. N/A

3. AI Chatbots and Customer Interaction
  • Does your organisation currently use chatbots or virtual assistants—AI-driven or rules-based—to support public enquiries or internal staff functions No
  • If yes, please specify their purpose, whether they are AI-based, and when they were implemented. N/A

4. Policies and Governance
  • Does your organisation have any formal policy, strategy, or guidance relating to the use of Artificial Intelligence or automated decision-making Yes, we have Guidance and the policy and strategy are in progress.
  • If yes, please supply a copy or provide a link. Exempt (See below)
  • If not, please indicate whether such a policy is in development.  N/A

5. Data Protection and Ethics
  • If AI systems are used, what measures or frameworks does your organisation have in place to ensure:
  • Compliance with data protection and privacy obligations. DPIA
  • Transparency for service users. Guidance
  • Ethical or responsible use. Guidance
(For example, DPIAs, algorithmic impact assessments, ethical guidelines - if applicable.).

6. Trials, Pilots, or Future Plans
  • Has your organisation run any pilots, trials, or exploratory projects involving AI in the last 3 years, or does it plan to do so in the next 12–24 months Yes
  • If yes, please provide brief details of the purpose, timeline, and status of these initiatives. Exempt (See below)

7. Staff Training and Awareness
  • Does your organisation provide any training, guidance, or internal communications to staff relating to AI, its use, or its implications Yes
  • If yes, please describe the type of training or include documents if available. Exempt (See below)

For this FOI, we are not supplying any specific information on any AI policy, guidance or trials or future plans for AI software/applications/platforms/tools or vendors/suppliers. 

This is exemption information under section 31 (Law Enforcement) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA2000).

The public interest in disclosure for transparency, scrutiny and accountability of public bodies is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring the risks to operations and assets of public authorities are not exposed to malicious actors. 
 
This is due to the following: 
 
  1. Any information that could be used by hackers, scammers, and other malicious actors to compromise the Council’s ICT systems and cyber security should not bedisclosedto external organisations,partnersor members of the public. 
 
  1. Examples of information which could be used by malicious actors, particularly ifcomprisedof details relating toshort timeperiods of less than a year, include: 
 
  • Use of external cyber/online security contractors, firms; and 
  • Details of ICT and cyber security systems, procedures,policiesand contracts particular to the Council. 

We hope you find this information useful.
The Council publishes Access to Information requests and responses on its online Disclosure Log. Only requests deemed to be in the public interest will be included and any request included within this log will be de-personalised accordingly.
To view the Council’s Disclosure Log, please visit our website.
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Yours sincerely



Freedom of Information
Complaints and Information Team
Chief Executives Department                                         
Nottinghamshire County Council
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