Author Archives: DDaT Team

Technology to help people use more Cymraeg

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Post by Indeg, Cymraeg 2050 Team, Welsh Government

Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg

“We’ll do everything we can to make it easier to use Cymraeg in technology, and we’ll use all the possibilities that technology offers to help us use Cymraeg.”

Mark Drakeford, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh language.

On 07 January 2025, Mark Drakeford, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language, published a written statement outlining 3 new priorities for our work in Welsh language technology:

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AI and the Welsh language

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Post by Indeg, Cymraeg 2050 Team, Welsh Government

Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg

When we published the Welsh language technology action Plan in 2018, our aim was to create technological advances that would enable us to use more Welsh in a wide range of situations. In February 2024, the then Minister for Education and Welsh Language published the final report on this Plan, looking back at our progress, including advancements in AI.

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Can AI help find lost woodland?

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Post by Evie, Data Science Unit, Welsh Government

Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg

There are many areas of Wales where woodland clearance has taken place, especially since the 19th century.  We define ‘lost historic woodland’ as areas of woodland that existed on historic maps but no longer exist today. These areas may be suitable for re-planting because the original soil is well suited for tree growth having an established root network and ecosystem. Finding these areas and targeting them could improve success rates of woodland creation or regeneration schemes and support delivery of key government targets, such as the National Forest for Wales. This blog describes how the Data Science Unit is using computer vision (a type of AI that works with images) to do this.

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LoRaWAN enables smarter working locally across Wales

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Blog by Peter, Digital Infrastructure, Welsh Government

Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg 

It’s been over a year since my last blog which covered how LoRaWAN is helping to fight crime and tackle climate change.

Since then, we have seen the Smart Towns programme flourish, with the team undertaking a significant amount of engagement, and hosting what is understood to be the first “Smart” conference focusing on towns, hosted in Wrexham (which ironically is a city!).

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Developing Data Science Skills

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Post by Steven, Data Science Unit, Welsh Government

Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg

Data science is a key skill to transforming our work in Welsh Government, as we use it to modernise and automate data processes and help us to work efficiently, transparently and accurately. The data science unit has always been keen to help staff learn and improve their data science skills, and we have recently started two new initiatives to support this goal.

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Using Code to Automatically Style Charts for Publications

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Post by Joe & Aron, Data Science Unit, Welsh Government

Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg

Welsh Government staff in the Knowledge and Analytical Services (KAS) spend many hours formatting their charts for publication, making sure font sizes are correct, colours follow the guidance and axes are labelled. The Data Science Unit has streamlined these processes by creating a code package written in R, known as “KASStylesR”. With KASStylesR, teams can produce publication-ready Welsh and English charts in a fraction of the time it would have taken before.

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Guest blog: Exploring the Potential of Digital Twins in the Welsh Government

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Post by Christopher, Ordnance Survey consultant working in the Welsh Government

Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg

Digital twins could deliver £7bn in benefits to the UK economy by 2050, according to a recent Centre for Digital Built Britain (CDBB) report.  The report also found that digital twins could reduce costs by up to 25%, improve productivity by up to 15%, and reduce emissions by up to 20%.

With this in mind, the Ordnance Survey is working with the Welsh Government over the next few months to explore if and how digital twins could support the Digital Strategy for Wales in underpinning policy areas and identify where they could add the most value.

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Celebrating the achievements of the Welsh Language Technology Action Plan (2018 – 2024)

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By Indeg, Cymraeg 2050 Team

Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg

When we published the Welsh Language Technology Action Plan in 2018, our aim was to create technological advances that would enable us to use more Welsh in a wide range of situations. The Minister for Education and Welsh Language has now published the final report on this Plan, which looks back at the progress we’ve made.

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Going, Going, Gone: The beginning of the end for paper prescriptions in Wales

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By Ryan, Digital Health Policy

Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg

On 17 November, the Minister for Health and Social Services announced that the first primary care prescriptions in Wales had been authorised via smartcard and sent digitally. This seems a straightforward and logical thing to do, so why the big fuss?

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