The United Kingdom revealed its 10-year plan on boosting AI strategy in the country. The government announced its plan on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, designating the project to make the country an artificial intelligence superpower as the “National Artificial Intelligence Strategy.”
The National Artificial Intelligence Strategy aims to help the United Kingdom double down on its use of artificial intelligence in various places of business in the country. At the same time, the plan would foster local talent in technology and hopefully bring in more international investors to AI-powered firms, said Tech Times.
According to Tech Times, the plan would reportedly allow the country to compete with the likes of China and the United States when it comes to employing artificial intelligence technology.
In a statement, minister of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Chris Philip said, “Today we’re laying the foundation for the next ten years’ growth with a strategy to help us seize the potential of artificial intelligence and play a leading role in shaping the way the world governs it.”
Among the strategies it has in place include launching a national AI Research and Innovation Programme to “improve coordination and collaboration between the country’s researchers and help transform the U.K.’s AI capabilities, while boosting business and public sector adoption of AI technologies and their ability to take them to market,” reports Tech Crunch.
Moreover, the U.K. government is also looking to launch a joint Office for AI and U.K. Research and Innovation (UKRI), mainly to help developing areas and sectors outside of London and the South East in moving towards employing an AI-centric approach. These include areas such as energy and farming, reveals Tech Crunch.
CNBC remarked that the government will also launch a review not only into the capacity to provide computing power for researchers and organizations in the United Kingdom, but also a consultation regarding the copyrights and patents for the use of artificial intelligence and the country’s ability to capitalize on AI.
At the same time, the United Kingdom also plans to put up an AI Standards Hub to help provide the country with a more uniform setting when it comes to navigating the said technology.
Tech Crunch states that it will work alongside the Alan Turing Institute to learning about the constantly changing AI ethics and safety protocols and ensure that artificial intelligence will be used in an ethical manner.
As of writing, however, Tech Crunch notes that there is still no definite amount of funding to be allocated to the said strategy. Instead, the plan highlights how much the AI industry in the United Kingdom has managed to bring in since 2014.