James Mitton is HMRC’s Chief AI Officer, leading the organisation’s approach to artificial intelligence as a central pillar of its Transformation Roadmap. He is responsible for driving the adoption of AI at scale to deliver faster, smarter services for customers and colleagues, while safeguarding the integrity of the tax and customs system.  

In this role, James is focused on embedding AI at the heart of service design, advancing innovative use cases across compliance, customer experience, and operations, and ensuring AI is deployed responsibly and securely. He works in partnership with colleagues across government and industry to accelerate innovation and deliver tangible public value.  

Prior to this, James served as Director General for HMRC’s Enterprise Transformation Group, where he led large-scale transformation programmes to modernise services, improve operational efficiency, and enhance digital capabilities.  

James joined HMRC in 2022 as Director of Benefits and Credits Operations, leading key initiatives to improve customer experience and compliance. Before joining the Civil Service, he held senior roles across retail, financial services, telecoms and utilities, building extensive expertise in strategy, digital transformation, and organisational change.