The government is set to unveil a plan to implement artificial intelligence (AI) across the UK, aiming to spur economic growth and improve public service delivery.
The AI Opportunities Action Plan, backed by major tech firms pledging £14 billion and creating 13,250 jobs, will focus on establishing growth zones and leveraging AI to address issues like pothole repairs.
The plan follows recommendations from AI advisor Matt Clifford, all of which are being adopted. One key initiative includes investing in a new supercomputer, signaling a strategic shift from the previous government’s abandoned project at Edinburgh University.
Shadow science secretary Alan Mak criticized Labour’s approach, accusing it of “delivering analogue government in a digital age” and hindering the potential of AI with poor economic policies.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer emphasized AI’s transformative potential, aiming to position Britain as a global leader in the field.
Kyle expressed confidence in the UK’s ability to develop tech giants comparable to Google or Amazon, aiming to retain innovation and investment domestically.
DeepMind, initially a UK-founded AI company, was cited as an example of local talent now owned by Google.
According to the International Monetary Fund, fully embracing AI could contribute up to £47 billion annually to the UK economy over the next decade.
AI will streamline public sector operations, enabling workers to focus more on service delivery. Planned “AI Growth Zones” will generate infrastructure projects and new jobs, with AI also used for tasks like road inspection.
Tech firms such as Vantage Data Centres, Nscale, and Kyndryl have committed £14 billion towards building AI infrastructure, complementing the £25 billion investment announced at the International Investment Summit.
Key projects include Vantage’s large data center in Wales, Kyndryl’s creation of 1,000 AI-related jobs in Liverpool, and Nscale’s AI data center in Essex by 2026.
The government will establish “AI Growth Zones” with fast-track planning, starting with Culham, Oxfordshire, and expanding to other regions in need of future jobs and infrastructure.
The plan also includes a National Data Library to secure public data and an AI Energy Council to address the technology’s energy demands, co-led by Kyle and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
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