tech
Unlocking UK house-building with AI-accelerated planning
Google DeepMind is working alongside the UK government to co-develop an AI-powered prototype to help cut application decision times by 50%.
TL;DR
- The UK government is developing an AI planning tool with Google DeepMind to accelerate homeowner application processing.
- The goal is to cut decision times by 50%, aiding the construction of 1.5 million new homes by 2029.
- The AI prototype will assist planning officers by consolidating data, identifying policies, summarizing feedback, and drafting reports.
- Planning officers will retain full control, with the AI acting as an assistant and providing an audit trail.
- The tool builds on the 'Extract' tool, which converts legacy planning documents into usable data, saving councils significant manual work.
- The new AI planning tool is planned for national availability to all councils from 2027, following trials in Barnet, Camden, and Dorset.