Modern Slavery Statement
With technology advancing at such a rapid pace, Banner asked its Technology Solutions Manager, David Robertson, what are the latest technology trends for the public sector and what will 2025 bring?
Having worked with organisations across central government, healthcare, education and local authorities, one thing is clear to me – harnessing the right public sector technology isn’t just about efficiency anymore, it’s about resilience, adaptability and delivering the best service possible.
In this blog, I will share the five key technology trends that I believe public sector organisations should be watching closely throughout 2025 and beyond
1. Artificial Intelligence
Perhaps the biggest technological trend across every industry in the world is the boom of AI, and the public sector is no different. From automating routine email responses to summarising documentation, tools powered by AI can help public sector organisations reduce administrative tasks and increase productivity, which is especially beneficial for organisations working with tight budgets and limited resource.
In fact, leading research by Public First suggests the use of generative AI could help save the UK public sector £38 billion annually by 2030.
The same report even outlines the impact this could have across all sorts of public sector organisations, including:
- 3.7 million more GP appointments
- 16% increase in teacher-to-student contact time
- Freeing up the equivalent of over 160,000 police officers
And this technology is not just a pipedream, it is already being implemented – take Kingston Council, for instance. Identifying that social workers were expending significant time writing case notes and assessments, Kingston Council decided to pilot an AI-powered notetaking platform, Magic Notes, to help reduce administrative tasks so social workers can focus on delivering direct social care. Since its integration, the platform has already shown an improvement in available time, helping workers save up to four hours a week on administration.
This, of course, is only one example, but it does illustrate AI’s incredible potential within the sector. For procurement and IT leads, AI also raises strategic considerations, such as how to introduce automation without compromising transparency, and how to support staff with the tools and training they need. At Banner, I help public sector teams adopt AI-ready devices and workplace technology that integrates smoothly into existing systems.
2. Cloud Computing
Most of us will be familiar with cloud computing and will have been so for several years. Like so many technologies, however, the public sector’s adoption of cloud computing has been slower, given the complexity of its application and budget limitations.
First outlined in the Government’s Cloud First policy, the sector has made good headway over the last few years, with 60% of UK government systems now cloud-based. As a result, its implementation has come with a host of benefits to those organisations, including better collaboration, support for hybrid working, and system security.
A great example of this in action is the Government’s Unity Cluster, comprising of HMRC, DfT and MHCLG, which looks to modernise and unify back-end office functions through a £366 million cloud transformation.
However, with significant progress still required to help transition the remaining 40% of government systems and other public sector organisations to the cloud, cloud technology must remain a priority for the public sector over the coming years to support its full adoption. My team and I support this shift with cloud-connected hardware, mobile-ready peripherals and workplace tools designed to make the most of cloud investment.
3. AR & VR
Immersive technologies like augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) are no longer experimental -they’re actively improving service delivery across the NHS, social care and emergency services.
I’ve spoken with hospitals that use VR to ease patient anxiety during procedures like chemotherapy and childbirth, helping teams deliver better patient care. More widely, we’ve even seen social care teams leveraging VR training to build empathy and understanding of conditions such as dementia and frontline emergency responders trained using the technology to simulate complex scenarios.
This innovation isn’t just limited to healthcare. VR is being used in schools to teach children about violence, whilst AR applications used by the military are on the rise, with the RAF having recently trialled augmented reality to find out whether it can increase the number of frontline fighter pilots.
These technologies are increasingly being considered by public sector organisations for their cost-saving potential, particularly in training and professional development. At Banner, we make the rollout of immersive tech smoother by supplying VR-optimised hardware, hygiene kits, and secure storage suited for shared environments.
4. Robotics and Drones
Robotics and drones are delivering real-world benefits across the public sector, from education to local authorities.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen robotics and drone programmes being used to bring STEM learning to life and help students develop vital digital skills, but we’re now seeing the public sector adopting these technologies in even more applications.
Councils, like the Devon County Council, have started deploying drones for flood assessments and bridge inspections, helping to improve its surveillance while reducing the need for expensive manual checks. More widely, fire services and police forces are also using drones during emergency callouts, helping to provide a much better picture of environments in real-time that wasn’t previously possible.
5. Cybersecurity
The last trend I foresee for 2025 is the heightened investment in cybersecurity. As with any public sector organisation, data and systems need to be secure and cybersecurity is vital in upholding this. As cyber threats grow in sophistication, the public sector faces mounting pressure to protect sensitive data and ensure operational continuity – particularly with growing national security concern. The government recently updated its cybersecurity code of practice, calling on all public sector organisations to prioritise cyber risk at the highest level.
Ransomware, phishing and third-party risks are just the tip of the iceberg. With so many connected systems in use, public sector workplaces need end-to-end security built into every device, every process and every partnership.
My final thoughts on public sector technology
As someone who works every day with public sector organisations navigating these changes, I’ve witnessed the impact new technologies can make on everyday processes. Equally, I’ve also seen firsthand how challenging it can be to roll these out, especially when navigating around legislation and confined budgets!
Whether you’re managing procurement, in IT operations, or simply looking to improve your organisation’s efficiency, feel free to with either myself or a member of the Banner team to find out how we can help support your organisation adopt any of these technologies.