In a bold move to position the UK at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, the Prime Minister has announced the AI Opportunities Action Plan, embracing all 50 recommendations set forth by Matt Clifford.
This comprehensive plan aims to revolutionise public services, boost productivity, and attract significant investment in AI infrastructure.
AI is already making a significant impact across the UK, particularly in the healthcare sector. Hospitals are leveraging AI to deliver better, faster, and smarter care by spotting pain levels in non-verbal patients, diagnosing breast cancer more quickly, and expediting patient discharges. These advancements are crucial to the government's mission of building an NHS fit for the future.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
“Artificial Intelligence will drive incredible change in our country. From teachers personalising lessons, to supporting small businesses with their record-keeping, to speeding up planning applications, it has the potential to transform the lives of working people.
“But the AI industry needs a government that is on their side, one that won’t sit back and let opportunities slip through its fingers. And 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. It will give the industry the foundation it needs and will turbocharge the Plan for Change. That means more jobs and investment in the UK, more money in people’s pockets, and transformed public services.
“That’s the change this government is delivering.”
The AI Opportunities Action Plan is set to transform the lives of working people by streamlining planning consultations, reducing administrative burdens for teachers, and improving road maintenance through AI-powered cameras. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that fully embracing AI could boost productivity by up to 1.5 percentage points annually, potentially adding an average of £47 billion to the UK economy each year over the next decade.
Three major tech companies—Vantage Data Centres, Nscale, and Kyndryl—have committed to investing £14 billion in the UK to build the necessary AI infrastructure. This investment is expected to create 13,250 jobs across the country. Vantage Data Centres plans to invest over £12 billion in data centres, creating over 11,500 jobs. Kyndryl aims to create up to 1,000 AI-related jobs in Liverpool, while Nscale has announced a $2.5 billion investment to support the UK's data centre infrastructure and build the largest UK sovereign AI data centre in Loughton, Essex by 2026.
The plan includes several key initiatives to make the UK the top destination for AI firms:
- Establishing AI Growth Zones to expedite planning proposals and build more AI infrastructure, starting with Culham, Oxfordshire.
- Increasing public compute capacity by twentyfold with the construction of a new supercomputer.
- Creating a new team to seize AI opportunities and build the UK's sovereign capabilities.
- Developing a National Data Library to unlock the value of public data and support AI development.
- Forming a dedicated AI Energy Council to address the energy demands of AI technology and support the government's mission to become a clean energy superpower.
Matt Clifford CBE also commented on this ambition, saying:
“This is a plan which puts us all-in - backing the potential of AI to grow our economy, improve lives for citizens, and make us a global hub for AI investment and innovation.
“AI offers opportunities we can’t let slip through our fingers, and these steps put us on the strongest possible footing to ensure AI delivers in all corners of the country, from building skills and talent to revolutionising our infrastructure and compute power.”
The AI Opportunities Action Plan is a cornerstone of the government's Industrial Strategy and the upcoming Digital and Technology Sector Plan. By implementing these measures, the UK aims to become a global leader in AI, driving economic growth and improving the quality of life for its citizens.
Image credit: iStock
