The Government's blueprint to turbocharge AI over the next decade

The UK Government unveiled today (see press release here) an ambitious AI Opportunities Action Plan to drive economic growth and improve public services using AI. The plan aims to position the UK as a global leader in AI by:   

• Boosting Investment: Attracting significant private investment (£14 billion) from major tech companies like Vantage Data Centres, Nscale, and Kyndryl to build AI infrastructure (such as data centres, data centre infrastructure and tech hubs), creating 13,250 jobs.   
• Creating AI Growth Zones: Establishing dedicated zones across the country to accelerate the development of AI infrastructure by streamlining planning processes and ensuring access to necessary energy connections. 
• Enhancing Public Sector AI: Establishing a new Digital Centre of Government within DSIT to leverage AI for improving public services, such as streamlining administrative tasks for teachers and speeding up planning applications.   
• Increasing Compute Power: Significantly increasing public compute capacity by twentyfold to support AI development, including the construction of a new supercomputer.   
• Unlocking Data Value: Creating a National Data Library to safely and securely unlock the value of public data for AI research and development.   
• Establishing an AI Energy Council: Chaired by the Science and Energy Secretaries, the council will collaborate with energy companies to ensure the energy needs of the AI sector are met sustainably, potentially leveraging technologies like small modular reactors to support the UK's clean energy ambitions.

The IMF estimates that AI has the potential to boost productivity by up to 1.5% annually which could contribute up to an average of £47 billion each year to the UK economy over a decade. This plan aims to capitalise on this potential by creating a supportive environment for AI innovation and attracting top talent and investment to the UK.  

The UK Government's AI plan presents significant opportunities for economic growth and societal improvement across the private and public sectors. However, it will be interesting to follow how these plans address the legal and ethical implications of AI development and deployment, which will be crucial to ensure responsible AI adoption.

Contact us: 

Bristows has extensive experience in advising on matters relating to AI. Please contact us if you would like advice or support in using or adopting AI as part of your business.