How British civil servants are advised to account for energy use when working with AI

The British government framework on generative AI called for considering the environmental impacts of the technology and choosing an appropriate, proportionate, and more sustainable solution. It did not set specific rules about the length of prompts. The practical advice below is not a requirement of the framework: departments may consider it when developing their own rules, provided it is consistent with internal requirements.

Why the UK civil service should account for AI’s resource consumption

Generative AI creates text and other materials. The government framework called for considering the environmental impacts of using this technology.

It proposed using AI where appropriate and proportionate to the need, and choosing more sustainable solutions.

The framework for UK government departments was withdrawn on 10 February 2025 and replaced with a new document. The old text can be viewed as a source of general principles, but current requirements should be checked against the documents and policies in force.

What steps can reduce unnecessary work with AI

Before using a model, you can decide what result you need and set out the task requirements. This is practical advice, not a requirement of the government framework. A department may include such recommendations in its internal rules, but the materials cited do not establish that phrasing prompts in a particular way reduces resource consumption.

• Define the desired result. For example, specify whether you need a brief summary, a draft letter, a list of questions, or a text transformation.
• Describe the task requirements. If the task cannot be understood without background information, you can include it in the prompt along with the desired length or structure of the response.
• Combine related requirements if that makes things clearer. This is one possible way to frame a task, not a verified rule for saving resources.
• Do not continue the conversation unless the task requires it. This is a recommendation for discussion within a department, not an official rule of the government framework.

Brevity alone does not prove that a prompt is more efficient or environmentally friendly. If the task depends on background information and constraints, you can specify them regardless of the prompt’s length. The government framework did not set requirements for message length or the number of times a model may be used.

How to choose a model

The government framework advised choosing a tool suited to the task and using AI only when appropriate and proportionate to the need. It also called for choosing more sustainable solutions. The materials cited contain no rule that you should always choose the least capable or least resource-intensive model.

A department may establish a process for selecting permitted tools based on the task requirements and the quality of the result. The framework did not set a specific process for this assessment. The recommendation to choose an appropriate solution should not be interpreted as permission to switch to any other service: its use should be checked against the department’s current rules.

The framework called for considering risks and protecting data, but the materials cited do not establish a separate procedure for tasks involving sensitive information or particularly high accuracy requirements. In such cases, a department may set additional restrictions and levels of oversight. If its rules prohibit using AI for a particular task, employees should follow them.

Checking responses, confidentiality, and oversight

The government framework noted the risk of errors and the need to test AI outputs. A department may specify what to check before using an output and who is responsible for checking it. The materials cited do not provide a single list of facts, conclusions, and wording that must be checked for every task.

The framework calls for reliably protecting data and complying with organizational policies. It warns about private or sensitive data sources used to train models without the owners’ knowledge or consent. This provision concerns the scenario described in the framework and does not replace departmental rules on what data may be shared with a particular service. Processing terms depend on the applicable rules and the service’s settings.

How should AI-assisted text be checked? The framework supports the principle of human oversight of decisions influenced by AI. The materials cited do not specify how responsibilities should be allocated or what the review stages should be; a department may establish these. AI outputs should be used in accordance with this principle and current internal rules.

How to incorporate the guidance into internal rules

The government framework called for applying its general principles together with the policies of the specific organization, not instead of them. It did not prescribe the list of steps below. These are possible topics for discussion when preparing internal rules, which should take account of safety and work-quality requirements.

1. Describe appropriate tasks. The rules may specify where AI is permitted, for example, when drafting or summarizing materials, and what restrictions apply in other cases.
2. Set out a process for choosing a tool. A department may document how employees check that a permitted tool is suitable for a specific task.
3. Clarify the rules for handling data. Internal documents may describe what information can be shared with approved services and what restrictions apply.
4. Establish a review process. A department may determine who checks the output and oversees decisions influenced by AI.
5. Consider feedback. An organization may review its rules if the conditions for using tools change or errors are identified.

These points should not be presented as official recommendations of the British framework. They merely indicate topics a department may consider when developing its own rules. The document’s environmental principle was to consider the impacts of using AI and choose an appropriate, proportionate, and more sustainable solution.

Short answers

Why are British officials advised not to send AI a separate “thank you”?

The materials cited contain no such recommendation. On their basis, it is not possible to claim that the government advises ending a conversation to save energy.

Should you always choose the least capable model?

The materials cited contain no such rule. The government framework called for choosing a tool suited to the task and more sustainable, while complying with departmental requirements.

Can you publish an AI response without checking it?

The framework points to the need to test outputs and supports human oversight. Specific requirements for checking content before publication should be found in the department’s rules.