UK unveils plan to “unleash artificial intelligence”

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Monday that artificial intelligence offers “huge potential” to revitalize Britain's public services.

In a speech setting out the government's plans to use artificial intelligence across the UK to boost economic growth and deliver services more efficiently, Sir Keir said the government had a responsibility to make AI “work for working people”.

The government said the AI ​​Opportunities Action Plan has the support of leading technology companies, some of which have invested £14 billion in various projects, creating 13,250 jobs.

but Government faces doubts how much time and money will be needed to realize its vision, Concerns over borrowing costs and sterling depreciation.

The plan includes recommendations for growth areas to focus on and suggests the technology will be used to help tackle issues such as potholes.

While estimates from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) support claims that AI can boost productivity, it also says these changes are likely to happen gradually.

The government has tasked AI adviser Matt Clifford with developing a UK action plan to support the development of artificial intelligence and its use in public services.

He came back with 50 recommendations, which are currently being implemented.

These include the UK investing in a new supercomputer to boost computing power – marking a change in strategy after the Labor government abandoned the previous government's plan to build a supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh.

Sir Keir said artificial intelligence “will drive incredible change in the country” and “has the potential to transform the lives of working people”.

“We will make artificial intelligence work for everyone in our country,” he added. “The battle for tomorrow's jobs is happening today,” he said.

Sir Keir said the UK would become one of the “superpowers” in artificial intelligence, echoing former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's efforts to boost the British industry to rival the United States and China.

At the time, many of Sunak's proposals were aimed at mitigating the future risks of powerful AI systems.

In October 2023, he said artificial intelligence could make it faster and easier to produce chemical and biological weapons, or Used by terrorist organizations to spread disinformation.

He added that in the worst-case scenario, society could lose control of AI.

his The government’s emphasis on “security” This new plan appears to largely do nothing – instead focusing on maximizing opportunity, growth and innovation.

A departure from the previous narrative of caution and safety suggests that the UK government has decided that the UK should try to participate in the AI ​​arms race currently dominated by major global players such as the United States and China.

However, building data centers and boosting the nation’s computing capabilities won’t happen overnight.

That means the government is unlikely to see the final results of this major project before the next election – when Labor will have to convince voters it is still the right decision with public finances still tight.

Professor Wendy Hall said the proposals were “ambitious” but necessary to help the UK keep pace.

“It's an ambitious plan but it will require significant upfront investment,” she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

“It takes a while to see a return on investment, they have to invest for the long term.”

Government advice includes:

• The public sector will use AI to help its staff spend less time managing and more time delivering services.
• A number of “artificial intelligence growth zones” are to be created across the UK, involving large-scale construction projects and new employment opportunities.
• Artificial intelligence will use cameras across the country to inspect roads and spot potholes that need fixing
• Teachers and small business owners are considered two groups that could start using AI for things like faster planning and record-keeping.
• Artificial intelligence is already being used in UK hospitals to perform important tasks, such as diagnosing cancer faster, and will continue to be used to support the NHS.

As part of the plan, the government also proposes to strengthen the UK's infrastructure, with technology companies pledging to invest 14 billion pounds in building large data centers or technology hubs.

But Shadow Science Secretary Alan Mai said Labor was “delivering a mock government in the digital age”.

While the push for artificial intelligence is seen as a way to cut public spending, Mai accuses Labour's economic policies of undermining that aim.

“Labour's economic mismanagement and lack of inspiring plans will mean Britain is left behind,” he said.

Science and Technology Secretary Peter Keir told the BBC there was no reason why the UK couldn't create technology companies of the same size as Google, Amazon and Apple.

“At the moment we don’t have any cutting-edge concepts, cutting-edge British-owned companies.”

He highlighted DeepMind, which creates technology that enables computers to play video and board games, as an example of a former British-born company now owned by the United States.

It was founded by three University College London students and was later acquired by Google.

Tim Flagg, chief operating officer of UKAI, the trade body representing UK AI businesses, said the proposals took a “narrow view” of the industry's contributors and were too focused on big tech.

“Artificial intelligence innovation spans various industries, from small businesses to non-tech fields, and is driving the new industrial revolution,” he said.

“It’s time for the government to recognize this wider definition and realize the full potential of AI in the UK.”

Questions continue to be raised about the risks of introducing artificial intelligence systems that may “hallucinate” or fabricate facts, or discriminate against certain groups of people due to bias.

Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden said “we are still at the foot of all this” and that artificial intelligence was a developing technology.

He said that so far, about 30,000 teachers in the UK have used artificial intelligence teaching assistants developed by the government.

“This could save teachers about three-and-a-half hours a week, giving them back Sunday evening time, if you like, in terms of lesson planning and classroom preparation,” he told BBC Breakfast.

McFadden said artificial intelligence applications used by the health service could detect some cancers earlier that are undetectable by the human eye.

However, he admitted that AI “isn't perfect” after Apple faced calls for it. Withdraw controversial features Generating inaccurate news alerts on its latest iPhone.

“We have to focus on safety and opportunity,” McFadden said.

“The truth is, you can't choose not to do it. Or if you do, you'll just see it develop somewhere else.”