UK Police Forces Risk Missing AI Opportunities as Majority Yet to Fully Implement Tools according to Content Guru
Despite widespread trials, the majority of police forces are holding back on full-scale AI implementation, according to new FOIA findings.
UK police forces risk missing opportunities in the race to modernise citizen services, as new Freedom of Information (FOI) data, collected by Content Guru, reveals the majority are still holding back from scaling AI investments. Despite widespread discussion about AI’s potential in policing, of those that trialled or implemented generative AI tools, almost two-thirds of forces (58.8%) reported no additional spend on AI or automation technologies in the last financial year.
The data highlights that AI adoption is at an early stage within policing, with three in five forces (59.5%) trialling or implementing generative AI tools, but mainly focusing on supporting back-office administration tasks through platforms such as Microsoft 365 Copilot and IBM Watsonx. Adoption is yet to extend into frontline citizen engagement, where only one in four forces (27.0%) currently uses AI to improve communication with the public, such as through chatbots, virtual agents, or digital assistants.
Martin Taylor, Co-Founder and Deputy CEO at Content Guru, commented,
“These figures reveal a growing interest in AI across policing, but also a clear gap between exploration and delivery,”
“To unlock AI’s full potential, forces need to bridge the divide between trials and operational use, ensuring citizens see the benefits in faster and more accessible services. AI has the potential to improve several areas, including greater efficiencies for citizen communication, and lower post-contact activity for call handlers, which would mean lower call wait times for citizens, but progress will depend on greater investment and buy-in from key stakeholders.”]
Nick Gargan, industry analyst, commentator, and former Chief Constable, added,
“It’s difficult to fully appreciate the challenges facing policing when it comes to AI adoption. Forces are experiencing spiralling and more complex demand, and it’s clear that AI tools could help,”
“Yet budgets are barely keeping pace with rising employment costs, and government investments have focused on more people, not better technology. Add to that the public’s nervousness about AI in policing, and it’s understandable that many chiefs have adopted a cautious approach. Yet, paradoxically, now is the time to be bold because the alternative is that policing runs the risk of being left behind.”
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*Data was collected via freedom of information (FOI) requests, in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Data was collected between June and August 2025.
