The UK government should make better use of open source technologies in the public sector and adopt a more open approach to AI development, according to OpenUK.
The non-profit group, which represents the country’s open source community, made the call to action just hours before polls closed ahead of the 2024 general election last week in its latest manifesto launch.
A key talking point in the new manifesto centers around fostering closer ties between the open source ecosystem and government, which the group has been keen to push in recent years.
Open source could, the organization says, supercharge the UK economy and unlock marked benefits for public sector bodies.
“The Open Manifesto is a rallying cry to develop skills that will enable jobs in our left-behind rural communities. It’s also a call to seize our late-mover advantage in the public sector, to build the next generation of open source skills and management across the UK public sector,” said Amanda Brock, CEO of OpenUK.
“Only by doing this will the digital infrastructure we all rely on today be allowed to flourish. This will both revolutionize the UK’s public services and bolster our already strong homegrown community.”
