The plan includes proposals for growth zones where development would be focused and suggests the technology could help address issues such as potholes.
Estimates from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) support the claim that AI has the potential to improve productivity, but also say that change may occur gradually.
The government has tasked AI adviser Matt Clifford with developing a UK action plan to support the growth and use of artificial intelligence in public services.
He returned with 50 recommendations, which are now being implemented.
These include the UK investing in new supercomputers to increase its computing power, after the Labor government abandoned the previous government’s plans to install a supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh. This represents a change in strategy for all.
Sir Keir said AI would “bring incredible change” to the country and “has the potential to transform the lives of working people”.
“We’re going to put AI to work for everyone in this country,” he added, adding, “The battle for tomorrow’s jobs is happening today.”
Sir Keir said the UK would become one of the AI ”superpowers”, reflecting former chancellor Rishi Sunak’s desire to strengthen the UK sector to rival the US and China. said.
At the time, many of Sunak’s proposals were aimed at mitigating future risks for extremely powerful AI systems.
He said in October 2023 that AI could enable faster and easier production of chemical and biological weapons or be used by terrorist groups to spread disinformation.
He added that in the worst-case scenario, society could lose control over AI.
The new plan appears to have little emphasis on government ‘security’ and instead focuses on maximizing opportunity, growth and innovation.
The shift from the previous caution and security narrative suggests that the government has decided that the UK should try to join the AI arms race currently being led by the world’s leading companies, including the US and China.
However, building data centers and increasing a nation’s computing power will not happen overnight.
This means the government is unlikely to know the final outcome of this massive project before the next general election. At the next general election, Labor will have to convince voters that it was still the right decision in a time of financial stress.
Professor Dame Wendy Hall said the proposals were “ambitious” but necessary if the UK was to keep up with the pace of development.
“This is an ambitious plan, but it will require significant upfront investment,” she told BBC Radio Four’s Today programme.
“It’s going to take time to recoup that investment, and they need to work on it for the long term.”
