PS23343 - AI Cyber Security Survey

Description

**Please note this is an Award Notice and not a call for competition, this Contract has been awarded via the CCS Research and Insights (RM6126) Dynamic Purchasing System.**

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology wishes to appoint a supplier to conduct a survey of businesses who deploy, or are considering deploying, AI technology in their operations to improve our 
understanding of the uses of AI technology, the current cyber security attitudes, and the current cyber practices of businesses that use AI technology, to inform policy work in this space.

Purpose

AI use is growing. In April 2023, an estimated 16% of all UK businesses had adopted at least one AI technology . However, this number is now likely to increase significantly with the growth of more accessible and powerful generative AI models. 

Model/system developers, AI system owners and users all bear responsibility for the safe and secure development and deployment of AI. Existing guidance and work in this space often focuses on the original developer and engineer of the AI model. However, we are keen to understand more about the attitudes, behaviors and actions which are being taken by the businesses that are deploying/want to deploy these AI models within their infrastructure.

The Department is therefore seeking to appoint a supplier to conduct a survey of businesses who deploy, or are considering deploying, AI technology in their operations.

Objectives

The Department is commissioning this research primarily to assess business use of AI (including any subset of AI technology) and their cyber security practices. More specifically, the Department seeks to gain a detailed understanding of: 

- High level metrics: the proportion of firms who are considering deploying, and who are already deploying, AI technology in their activities, across the targeted sectors.
- Understanding of what AI technology is being deployed, for what services/functions and how this is embedded into businesses' systems.
- Understanding of businesses' general cyber security practices, and the dedicated cyber security practices around their AI technology. 
- An Understanding of how these practices differ between businesses of different sizes across different sectors, deploying different AI technologies, and deploying AI for different functions.
-Understanding to what extent those businesses planning to use AI are involving cyber security in those plans.
- An understanding the barriers faced by businesses when applying cyber security to their AI technology usage.