Dr Paul Sant, Head of Computer Science, at The University of Law, analyses in detail the UK’s artificial intelligence policy
The key focus is building cutting-edge, secure, and sustainable artificial intelligence (AI), a strategically important focus. To be successful, and in line with other priorities such as achieving ‘net-zero’ and ensuring the safety and security of users is vital, with an ever-increasing focus on attaining growth whilst caring for our planet.
The setting up of AI-growth zones will allow the UK to benefit from the existing AI excellence within UK universities. It can harness the true power of research and development by bringing together industry and academia, and providing them with the infrastructure needed to turn proof-of-concept into strong and market-leading viable products.
AI Opportunities Action Plan
The AI Opportunities Action Plan (January 2025) and the Artificial Intelligence Playbook for UK Government provide a blueprint around establishing the infrastructure and solutions need to catapult the UK forward in the adoption and effective use of AI.
By spearheading and headlining AI as a focus, developing the talent, and upskilling of those using AI, and actively encouraging the adoption of AI, whilst ensuring appropriate regulation will mean that the public and industry will have complete trust in AI solutions, and lead to a further ecosystem of innovation and exploitation of AI, whilst ensuring that the solutions are developed within a backdrop of regulation and compliance that will reassure government and the public.
With a key and targeted focus on how and where to develop AI in the UK (e.g. AI growth zones) and having a clear and focused plan for developing homegrown talent, we can exploit and further develop the strong AI expertise that the UK already has.
The key to all of this is to unlock the vast amounts of data that hold currently untapped insight, but to do so in an environment that is safe, secure, and trustworthy. Without this, developing innovative AI solutions may prove an insurmountable challenge.
The UK can forge ahead through the priorities outlined in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, beginning with a clear and focused roadmap with tangible outcomes. The focus on establishing an environmentally aware infrastructure to support sensitive AI in terms of its impact will allow a solid foundation. However, bringing together partnerships with industry and academics and forming international partnerships will enable the maximum impact to be achieved and introduce a healthy and competitive environment in which the UK can lead, but all can benefit.
A key to this will be funding, getting to market first, and making public the progress being made, whilst protecting the innovations through effective patents.
However, the key will be developing a homegrown AI pipeline, developing courses and training, including apprenticeships, and attracting global talent. After all, AI systems are built by humans, so we need talent first to exploit the opportunities.
It is vital that Britain provides global leadership, highlights its talent, and as is outlined in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, and the AI Playbook for Government, secure, trustworthy, and responsible AI is needed.
AI policy in the UK
Many opportunities in finance, the legal sector and security and defence lend themselves to AI, and indeed, it could prove to be a game changer. However, these sectors are quite rightly closely governed and regulated. So, if we truly want these sectors to adopt AI, we need to ensure we lead the development of safe, secure and compliant products – without this, there will be little adoption or a lack of wide-scale adoption.
The UK Government has already shown its willingness around Responsible AI, whilst also not wanting to stifle innovation – the UK can and must take the lead in this to be a global leader.
The UK has already committed to continuing to grow the AI Safety Institute (now called the AI Security Institute, and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is committed to funding this body.
Key to this success is further funding for regulators within sectors so that they can also help drive and support sage AI adoption.
The key message from the government to regulators is to encourage them to enable safe AI innovation, as many sectors will look to their regulators when considering AI adoption – knowing it is encouraged and actively supported will drive forward AI growth. A key to this success will be investment in assurance tools to reassure these sectors that AI adoption is sage.
A strong roadmap for AI in the UK
In summary, the fifty recommendations from the AI Opportunities Action Plan provide the foundations of a strong roadmap to ensure that Britain seizes opportunities, exploits innovation, and does so within an appropriate, regulated and secure way to ensure it can maximise its opportunities.
The AI Opportunities Action Plan has very clearly set out the commitment of the UK Government to be at the forefront of AI developments. The recommendations within the action plan can lead to the development of realisable infrastructure, regulation and a pool of talent that actively embraces AI, drives innovation, and brings together key talent pools who can work together to develop world-leading AI applications.
The holistic focus of the recommendations, encouraging adoption across all levels and communities, and careful messaging, can ensure that all sectors and the public can play a part in realising the AI opportunities at hand.
Having a key leader on this can drive it forward, but there is a need to ensure that the bodies set up can work cross-sectorally.
The key focus is beginning by building on what we already have, bringing the different parties together (government, academia, industry and the public) and ensuring that everyone plays an active part in achieving the opportunities set out, establishing a common set of achievable goals with clear benefits signposted to all, means that everything should work as a cohesive unit. The plan sets this out very clearly, with ‘partnership’ and ’working together’ as two key pillars.
Importantly, whilst it sets Britain out as a leader, it is also clear that there is a need to work with the EU and other interested parties, taking the lead on some initiatives and making an important contribution to other areas. Notably, the focus is on AI and its adoption across humanity, but on exploiting the existing talent and opportunities and building upon them to make Britain a true AI superpower.
