Artificial Intelligence (AI) is set to be rolled out across the UK to deliver a decade of national renewal, as part of a new government plan announced today (13th January 2025).
In a stark difference from the previous government’s approach to AI, the Prime Minister has agreed to progress with all 50 recommendations set out by Matt Clifford, CEO of entrepreneur first, in his revolutionary AI Opportunities Action Plan.
AI is already being used across the UK, especially in hospitals: from diagnosing breast cancer quicker to spotting pain levels of people who cannot speak.
The Prime Minister’s decision to back AI has the opportunity to transform the lives of working people and get more money in their pocks. It has the potential to help accelerate planning consultations, drive down admin for teachers, and spot potholes to help improve roads. IT is estimated that, should AI be fully deployed nationwide, it can boost productivity by as much as 1.5 per cent per year, with gains worth up to £47 billion per year over a decade.
Today’s plan aims to revolutionise British public services using AI, as well as introducing measures that will create dedicated AI Growth Zones that will speed up planning permission and give them the energy connections needed to power up AI.
The Prime Minister said: “Artificial Intelligence will drive incredible change in our country. From teachers personalising lessons, to supporting small businesses with their record-keeping to speed up planning applications, it has the potential to transform the lives of working people.
“But the AI industry needs a government that is on their side, one that won’t sit back and let opportunities slip through its fingers. And in a world of fierce competition, we cannot stand by. We must move fast and take action to win the global race.
“Our plan will make Britain the world leader. It will give the industry the foundation it needs and will turbocharge the Plan for Change. That means more jobs and investment in the UK, more money in people’s pockets, and transformed public services.
“That’s the change this government is delivering.”
Recent interest in turboboosting AI in the UK comes as three major tech companies — Vantage Data Centres, Nscale, and Kyndryl — have committed £14 billion in investment to build the AI infrastructure the UK needs to harness its potential as well as delivering 13,250 jobs across the UK. This is on top of the £25 billion already announced towards AI at the International Investment Summit.
The new AI plans include initiatives such as forging new AI Growth Zones to speed up planning proposals, increased public compute capacity to give the processing power needed to fully utilise this technology, a new team established to seize the opportunities of AI and build the UK’s sovereign capabilities, as well as a new National Data Library to unlock the value of public data and support AI development.
These 50 new measures will make the UK desirable to AI firms wanting to start, scale, or grow their business. This Action Plan also sits at the centre of the government’s Industrial Strategy and the first plank of the upcoming Digital and Technology Sector Plan, to be published in the coming months.
Science, innovation and technology secretary, Peter Kyle, said: “AI has the potential to change all of our lives but for too long, we have been curious and often cautious bystanders to the change unfolding around us. With this plan, we become agents of that change.
“We already have remarkable strengths we can tap into when it comes to AI — building our status as the cradle of computer science and intelligent maahines and establishing ourselves as the third largest AI market in the world.
“This government is determined that the UK is not left behind in the global race for AI, that’s why the actions we commit to will ensure that the benefits are spread through the UK so all citizens will reap the rewards of the bet we make today. This is how we’re putting our Plan for Change in motion.”
Rachel Reeves MP, the chancellor of the exchequer, said: “AI is a powerful tool that will help grow our economy, make our public services more efficient and open up new opportunities to help improve living standards.
“This action plan is the government’s modern industrial strategy in action. Attracting AI businesses to the UK, bringing in new investment, creating new jobs and turbocharging our Plan for Change. This means better living standards in every part of the United Kingdom and working people have more money in their pocket.”
