Sam Robinson, AI policy lead and senior researcher at Social Market Foundation, said:
“The UK can be one of the top three world leaders on artificial intelligence and the government’s AI strategy is a step in the right direction to achieving that goal. Though we can’t compete at the same level as the US and China, we have the talent, the universities and the startups to succeed – we now need the right infrastructure and regulation
While the government’s AI strategy is light on policy detail, it sets out an ambitious direction for the UK that is clearly pro-innovation and seeks to maximise the opportunities from AI. This is a welcome shift from the previous government’s risk-averse emphasis on safety regulation, and presents an alternative model to the EU’s comparatively restrictive, over-regulated approach.
However, the UK faces fierce global competition to attract investment, innovation and talent. The government therefore needs to act decisively to address the absurdly high cost of industrial electricity alongside long delays in planning and grid connections which are throttling the construction of data centres – the foundational infrastructure of AI.
The ongoing consultation on AI and copyright is another early test; investment in AI could be deterred if the outcome appears uncertain or makes it too costly to train models in the UK.
Perhaps the biggest opportunity for the UK to establish itself as an AI leader is in the public sector. The UK is uniquely well placed to demonstrate how AI can improve the productivity and quality of public services, and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle is building a reputation for the UK as the country that is most ready and willing to seize the opportunity.
Like the industrial revolution, there are major social and economic risks with AI but countries that modernise will be much better placed than those that get left behind. Though there are details to be worked out along the way, this strategy clearly recognises this reality.”
Notes
- For media enquiries, please contact Communications Manager Richa Kapoor, at richa@smf.co.uk
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