The United Kingdom is taking decisive steps to cement its position as a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) by significantly enhancing its national computing infrastructure. By 2030, the UK aims to increase its public sector compute capacity twentyfold. This ambitious goal forms part of a broader strategy to build a homegrown alternative to OpenAI and establish the country as a hub for AI development. Key initiatives include setting up AI "growth zones," where planning permissions will be eased to facilitate new data centers, and launching the AI Research Resource to bolster computing infrastructure.
The UK government has pledged to create several AI "growth zones" to accelerate AI development by relaxing planning permission rules. This initiative is complemented by the establishment of an "AI Energy Council," which will bring together industry leaders from the energy and AI sectors to explore sustainable energy solutions. In addition, the government's plan involves expanding data center capacity nationwide, enhancing the ability of developers to create powerful AI models.
In a move to strengthen its position in foundational AI technologies, the UK plans to use the AI growth zones and a newly established National Data Library to connect public institutions. This will aim to boost the country's capability in creating "sovereign" AI models. Despite canceling £1.3 billion of taxpayer-funded spending commitments on two major computing initiatives, the government is prioritizing other fiscal plans to support AI development.
The post-Brexit era offers the UK an opportunity to pitch a differentiated regulatory regime from the European Union as advantageous for AI development. The government envisions creating homegrown AI "champions" akin to American tech giants responsible for foundational AI models. To achieve this, pension funds are encouraged to allocate more of their portfolios towards riskier, growth-focused startups, fostering a vibrant ecosystem for AI innovation.
The UK government's strategy also includes leveraging the AI Research Resource and a next-generation "exascale" supercomputer to enhance its computing capabilities. Moreover, a consultation has been announced on measures to regulate the use of copyrighted content in training AI models, ensuring ethical standards in AI development.
Tech leaders across the UK have largely applauded the government's forward-thinking approach to AI. Zahra Bahrololoumi, Salesforce's U.K. boss, commended the strategy for its "bold vision for AI and emphasis on transparency, safety and collaboration."
"Bold vision for AI and emphasis on transparency, safety and collaboration" – Zahra Bahrololoumi, Salesforce's U.K. boss
Chintan Patel, Cisco's chief technology officer in the U.K., emphasized the importance of a defined roadmap for achieving the nation's AI ambitions.
"Having a clearly defined roadmap is critical for the UK to achieve its ambition to become an AI superpower and a leading destination for AI investment" – Chintan Patel, Cisco's chief technology officer in the U.K.