The DigiGov Podcast

What happens when suppliers can generate 50 bidder questions in a click, but public buyers still answer them by hand?
In this episode, we speak with Jakob Reuschlein, Vice President Customers at Procure Ai, about how AI agents are changing public procurement. Jakob explains why procurement is a foundation of state capacity rather than back-office paperwork. He describes the growing AI “arms race” between bidders and buyers, and he sets out where a human must stay in the loop, such as awarding contracts and deciding what is actually needed. He also explains when to use agentic AI and when to stick with traditional rule-based automation, how AI can open up opportunities for SMEs, and which workflow a head of procurement should hand to an AI agent first.
Want to learn more about agentic AI in procurement? Visit Procure Ai or connect with Jakob on LinkedIn. Subscribe to The DigiGov Podcast for more conversations on how technology is reshaping public sector delivery.

Why does national GDP tell us so little about life in Rochdale, Slough or Oldham?
In this episode, we speak with Andy Haldane, former Chief Economist at the Bank of England, Senior Economic Advisor at PwC and President of the British Chambers of Commerce, about PwC’s Good Growth Barometer and the Place-Based Intelligence Model behind it. The model brings together around 50 financial and non-financial indicators to give a postcode-level picture of how people are actually doing. Andy explains why the gaps within cities are often as big as the gaps between them, and why London tops the table on income but sits near the bottom on wellbeing. He compares a recipe for local growth to baking a cake, and he gives local leaders three principles to follow: a plan beats no plan, strong leadership, and a compelling story. He also looks ahead to digital twins that would let councils test a new bus route or housing estate before laying a single brick.
Want to see how your own area scores? Explore the Good Growth Barometer, built on PwC’s Place-Based Intelligence Model. Subscribe to The DigiGov Podcast for more conversations on using data and digital tools to deliver better outcomes for every place.

Jenna's personal record is 2 hours and 13 minutes on hold. Can agentic AI make that a thing of the past?
In this episode, we speak with Jenna Shanks from NICE about where the citizen experience breaks down in public sector contact centres, and why AI can’t fix a broken process on its own. Jenna explains how agentic AI differs from the frustrating chatbots of a few years ago: it can greet callers by name, speak their language and offer support 24/7. She also describes how real-time knowledge surfacing and auto summaries free advisors to be more human on every call. She makes the case that AI won’t replace people but people who use AI will, explains why data and knowledge foundations come before any rollout, and shares how NICE is transforming phone and digital services with central government departments, including DWP and HMRC.
Want to see agentic AI in action? Search “NICE Cognigy” on YouTube, visit NICE, or connect with Jenna on LinkedIn. Subscribe to The DigiGov Podcast for more conversations on building better, more accessible public services.

Are mass redundancies actually coming to local authorities, or is AI simply plugging critical workforce gaps?
In this episode of The DigiGov Podcast, we sit down with local government heavyweight Dwayne Johnson. With 40 years of public sector experience, including nearly two decades as a social care director and Chief Executive of Sefton Council, Dwayne brings unparalleled sincerity and transparency to the tech debate. Now a Director at ICS.ai, he works across the UK to help councils transition from legacy structures to future-proof operations.
We dive deep into true local government transformation, exploring:
The AI Front Door in Action: How Derby City Council utilised generative and agentic AI to handle over 50% of inbound calls, cutting waiting times in half.
The Four Characteristics Matrix: Dwayne's structured framework for councils navigating integration; evaluating interoperability, data metrics, cybersecurity, and citizen reassurance.
Breaking Data Silos Safely: How to unify information across housing, benefits, and adult social care for immediate time-to-value.
Robotics on the Horizon: Why we are only 12 to 18 months away from deploying helpful robotics in care homes and public buildings to augment human care assistants.
Dwayne challenges council leaders to evaluate three variables before launching an AI journey: their financial context, their human resources strategy, and their leadership's appetite for change.
Subscribe to The DigiGov Podcast for more real world insights into the future of digital government. Keep up with Dwayne's work at ics.ai.

Is your organisation focusing too much on the shiny new AI tools and completely ignoring the human beings using them?
In this episode of The DigiGov Podcast, we sit down with AI transformation strategist and TEDx speaker Jamie Bykov-Brett. Jamie challenges the tech-first narrative of the digital revolution, arguing that real public sector innovation isn't about software licenses, it's about rewiring organisational habits. We explore how to move teams past a simple AI login to true workspace integration by prioritising human-centric soft skills like creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.
We dive deep into:
The Accountability Boundary: Why machines can automate tasks but can never be held responsible for management decisions.
The Entry-Level Bottleneck: How AI is flattening traditional intern and entry-level career progression pathways.
Sovereign Systems vs. Shadow AI: Why the UK public sector must pivot to open-source infrastructure to combat citizen distrust and security flaws.
Agile Governance: How leaders can honor legacy systems while designing workflows built for algorithmic updates.
Subscribe to The DigiGov Podcast to stay ahead of the curve on digital government transformation. Find Jamie's free automation guides and frameworks at bykovbrett.net.