The task force will be led by an expert Chair, who will be announced later in the summer. Matt Clifford, Chair of the Advanced Research, and Innovation Agency will advise the Prime Minister and Technology Secretary on the development of the task force while the appointment is ongoing.
Foundation models rely on significant computing power, and this investment comes on top of around £900 million for a new ‘exascale’ supercomputer and a dedicated AI Research Resource to equip the UK with the processing power to support the next generation of AI.
Doug Gurr, Chair of, the Alan Turing Institute, said, “We congratulate the government on this exciting investment which will keep the UK at the cutting edge of this transformative technology and look forward to continuing to work with all the relevant partners to help develop breakthrough AI applications in a safe, reliable, trustworthy and ethical way.”
AI, if deployed safely and responsibly, will revolutionise how we live and work. This initial funding will help the UK AI industry greatly, it will help achieve safe deployment and protect national security, whilst harnessing AI’s power to transform public services.
The funding follows Business Connect, an event bringing government and industry together to focus on making Britain the most innovative economy in the world. DSIT Minister of State George Freeman led a panel on the government’s work in digital technology and life sciences and, together with the current Chancellor, recently spoke about how these high-priority sectors could help accelerate economic growth across the UK.