How is Keir Starmer seeking to harness AI?

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The UK government, led by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, has announced plans to heavily invest in artificial intelligence (AI) to boost economic growth, create jobs, and position Britain as a global leader in the field. The initiative includes a ÂŁ14bn private sector investment, aiming to generate 13,000 jobs, primarily in construction for AI infrastructure such as data centres.

Key measures include establishing AI “growth zones,” starting in Oxfordshire, implementing all recommendations from a prior AI review, and building a supercomputer through public-private collaboration. The government also plans to increase computing power by 20-fold by 2030 and drive AI adoption across public and private sectors.

Sir Keir emphasised AI’s transformative potential in education, business, and planning, while critics highlighted previous funding cuts and questioned Labour’s economic approach. Technology leaders largely welcomed the initiative, seeing it as a step toward leveraging AI for national advancement.

Chris Lehane, the chief global affairs officer at OpenAI, which released ChatGPT, said: "The government’s AI action plan - led by the prime minister and [Science] Secretary Peter Kyle - recognises where AI development is headed and sets the UK on the right path to benefit from its growth.

“The UK has an enormous national resource in the talent of its people, institutions and businesses which together, can leverage AI to advance the country’s national interest.”

The shadow secretary for science, innovation and technology, Alan Mak, said: "Labour’s plan will not support the UK to become a tech and science superpower. They’re delivering analogue government in a digital age.

"Shaping a successful AI future requires investment, but in the six months leading up to this plan, Labour cut £1.3bn in funding for Britain’s first next-generation supercomputer and AI research whilst imposing a national insurance jobs tax that will cost business in the digital sector £1.66bn.

What do you think of the news ?

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This plan could be a game changer for the UK, putting it on the map as a leader in AI while creating thousands of jobs and massively boosting computing power (specially in this economy!). But there’s a catch, just six months ago, £1.3bn earmarked for an advanced supercomputer was slashed, raising questions about whether this push for AI will have the follow-through it needs.

The UK is brimming with AI talent and innovative companies, but turning this potential into real progress will take more than bold announcements. If done right, this could mean better schools, smarter industries, and more efficient public services (area of AI). But to get there, the government has to back its words with consistent investment and thoughtful planning—without cutting corners when it matters most.

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Honestly I think this is good news. By positioning the UK to be a leader in AI, we can best reap the benefits of this. I also think that this being partially public, and not just relying on companies like OpenAI, Meta AI, etc, it reduces our reliance on private companies which is better so that AI can be used for the public good. Here I also would like to believe that AI regulation would be more effective, as there’d be less chances or incentives for loopholes. So overall, I’d say this is a good development.

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Oh I do so agree, Amir! I’ve just been writing a short opinion piece about this, for which I read a very interesting paper by someone at the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford. Essentially, we have been here before:

The faith in new technologies as an almost magical way of injecting vigour into the economy is a trap into which fell the politicians of the post-war period up to and including the early 1970s.
The faith in aviation and nuclear power as the key technologies of tomorrow during the 1950s and 1960s resembles the optimism around artificial intelligence and quantum computing today. The British state poured vast resources on a long-term basis into these areas. Yet, these programmes rank as some of the worst public policy decisions ever taken. (Kelsey, 2023)

Don’t hold your breath. The AI revolution ain’t gonna happen this way.

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