The Government Digital Service (GDS) has launched a new AI powered search engine for the GOV.UK website.
It has partnered with digital transformation consultancy Kin + Carta on the initiative, using Google Cloud’s Vertex AI Search.
This uses natural language models that reflect the more conversational nature of modern internet searches, and which is regarded as more accessible to the public while also being accurate in its results.
GDS has indicated that the search engine was launched in February and it has begun to disclose details after being pleased with the results it has seen so far.
Kin + Carta said that when the new search engine was tested against the previous one, it was found that 14% more users are clicking through to relevant results and there was an 11% decrease in search refinement, as well as an 8% reduction in users leaving the site from the search page.
Change in behaviour
The new model reflects the fundamental change in the way that people search for information online since GOV.UK was launched in 2012, and how AI has improved semantic search, in which the system can understand a user’s intent and return relevant results.
Minister for Digital Government and AI Feryal Clark said: “Millions of people visit GOV.UK every day to access public services and find essential information. Our goal is to make that experience as seamless and efficient as possible.
“Our new AI powered search engine delivers faster, more relevant results and makes it easier for everyone - regardless of their digital skills - to find what they need."
Leanne Cummings, GDS deputy director GOV.UK, said: “GOV.UK provides critical information, services and guidance to the millions of people that use it every single day. Therefore, how people search for what they need on GOV.UK is a key priority for us.
“Since launching our new search tool, we've seen a marked improvement in how users of GOV.UK find what they need, when they need it.”
Market review and prototypes
A GDS blogpost on the development said it has followed a review of search products on the market and the building of prototypes to understand search engine features that would help to improve outcomes and integrate easily with the existing technology infrastructure.
This led to the identification of Vertex AI Search, followed by the development of a new back end application within the publishing platform to update data on the search engine whenever the content is changed. In addition, an API was developed to enable an integration with existing systems for collecting and processing content from across GOV.UK.
GDS added that it is monitoring metrics and user feedback and aims to make further improvements.
