Keir Starmer and his UK government have promised to “unleash” AI across the UK in a bid to deliver multi-billion pound growth.
In a speech delivered yesterday (13 January), Starmer stated that the measures will “create the companies of the future” and “radically improve [the UK’s] public services”.
Headlining the government’s “Plan for Change” is the creation of dedicated AI Growth Zones designed to speed up planning for AI infrastructure. The first of these zones will be in Culham, Oxfordshire, which is already home to the UK’s Atomic Energy Authority where AWS and Cloud HQ operate data centres.
Additionally, three tech companies, Vantage Data Centres, Nscale and Kyndryl, have backed the plan, committing £14bn towards various projects and creating 13,250 jobs.
On the plans, Starmer stated: “The AI industry needs a government that is on their side, one that won’t sit back and let opportunities slip through its fingers.
“In a world of fierce competition, we cannot stand by. We must move fast and take action to win the global race. Our plan will make Britain the world leader.”
According to the government, estimates from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) suggest that if AI is fully embraced, it can boost productivity by as much as 1.5% per year and, if fully realised, these gains could be worth up to an average of £47bn to the UK each year over a decade.
Creating the tech companies of the future
Speaking to the BBC, Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said that there is no reason why the UK cannot create tech companies on the scale of giants such as Google, Amazon and Apple.
He promised that the plans make the UK “agents of change” rather than “cautious bystanders” to the development of AI.
“We already have remarkable strengths we can tap into when it comes to AI – building our status as the cradle of computer science and intelligent machines and establishing ourselves as the third largest AI market in the world,” said Kyle.
Previously, the government tasked AI adviser Matt Clifford with creating a UK action plan for the development of artificial intelligence technology.
The UK government will now be taking forward all 50 of Clifford’s recommendations, including investment in a new supercomputer to boost computing power and establishing a National Data Library to “safely and securely unlock the value of public data and support AI development”.
Clifford has been officially appointed as the Advisor to the PM on AI opportunities. Additionally, Nobel Prize-winner Sir Demis Hassabis will provide his expertise to the government on the matter.
Government cohesion required
News of the plans was met with optimism from the tech industry as Darren Hardman, CEO of Microsoft UK, said that the changes are “exactly what’s needed to drive economic growth, transform public services and create new opportunities for all”.
Chris Lehane, Chief Global Officer at OpenAI, added: “From the locomotive to the Colossus computer, the UK has a rich history of leadership in tech innovation and the research and development of AI.
“The government’s AI action plan recognises where AI development is headed and sets the UK on the right path to benefit from its growth.”
However, some have warned the government that cohesion across departments will be required if the plan is to succeed.
Andrew J. Scott, a Managing Partner at 7percent Ventures, told Techcrunch: “The action plan won’t realise its ambition to make the UK a winner in AI unless other policies are aligned across government.
“If, for example, startup founders or VCs leave the U.K. because they are taxed uncompetitively or the NHS refuses to deploy AI technology because unions fear job losses.”
