In a move to stay at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) development, Britain has announced an investment exceeding £100 million ($125 million) to inaugurate nine research hubs dedicated to AI. Simultaneously, the government will undertake the training of regulators to enhance their understanding of AI technology.
Highlighting the urgency of adapting to the swift pace of AI advancements, Technology Minister Michelle Donelan emphasized, “AI is moving fast, but we have shown that humans can move just as fast. By taking an agile, sector-specific approach, we have begun to grip the risks immediately.”
A substantial portion of the allocated funds, nearly £90 million, will be directed towards the establishment of the research hubs. These hubs will be specifically geared towards the application of AI in critical sectors such as healthcare, chemistry, and mathematics. Additionally, a collaborative initiative with the United States on responsible AI will be a focal point of these hubs, as announced by the government.
The remaining £10 million will be earmarked to facilitate the training of regulators, equipping them with the necessary skills to navigate the risks and harness the opportunities posed by AI. Practical tools will be developed to monitor risks across various sectors, ranging from telecommunications and healthcare to finance and education.
The announcement comes on the heels of Britain hosting an international summit in November, solely dedicated to AI safety. More than 25 participating countries signed the “Bletchley Declaration,” focusing on the identification of shared concerns regarding AI risks and the collaborative development of cross-country policies to effectively mitigate them. This substantial investment underscores Britain’s commitment to staying at the forefront of AI innovation while proactively addressing associated risks.
