UK government connects AI tool to live data using protocol bridge
The UK Department for Business and Trade has integrated its DBT Assist AI tool with Data Hub, its customer relationship management system, allowing investment advisers to query company interaction records directly. The department built a Model Context Protocol server to create the connection while maintaining security controls over sensitive government data.
Investment advisers previously had to manually search Data Hub, extract information, and paste results into DBT Assist alongside other sources. The new integration eliminates that manual work.
How the connection works
The MCP server acts as a communication bridge between the AI tool and the live data system. It uses the same Single Sign-On authentication as DBT Assist and runs within a Virtual Private Cloud with no external access points.
Advisers can now ask natural-language questions about prior company interactions and receive real-time answers with citations linking back to original records. The department said this reduces manual work, speeds access to trusted information, and improves confidence in data use.
Reusable across government
The MCP server can be reused by other AI for Government applications across DBT, creating a foundation for future integrations without duplicating technical effort.
The Office for Investment requested the integration to help advisers access company records more efficiently. The department said direct access could not be added simply because of the scale and sensitivity of the data held in Data Hub.
Next steps
DBT is working to handle more complex information requests and improve access controls with more detailed permissions. The department said the project highlighted the importance of building on existing security measures, involving real users early, and treating deployment as the start of continuous improvement.
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