The British government pledges £100 million for AI research and regulation

Over £100 million have been allocated by the UK administration towards the establishment of nine AI research hubs in various economic sectors along with provisions for regulator training, highlighting the UK’s agile and sector-specific approach to AI governance.
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In a bid to stay at the forefront of the AI innovation race, the UK government recently assigned more than £100 million for the setting up of nine cutting-edge AI research hubs that will focus on AI applications in critical sectors such as healthcare and mathematics. Michelle Donelan, Technology Minister, emphasized the need for an agile approach towards AI governance, stating, ‘AI is moving fast, but we have shown that humans can move just as fast.‘The administration’s sector-specific approach is designed to swiftly recognise and resolve the potential risks arising from the rapid advancements in AI technologies and their applications.

Additionally, the British government is looking at the establishment of a partnership with the United States to advance responsible AI practices, underscoring global collaborative efforts to address AI governance challenges.

£10 million, out of these funds, have been set aside to provide training and resources to regulators to develop practical tools for navigating AI challenges in wide-ranging sectors ranging from telecoms and healthcare to finance and education. The announcement follows the UK’s hosting of an international AI safety summit in November 2023, where delegates from more than 25 countries endorsed the ‘Bletchley Declaration to collectively identify shared risks and develop transnational policies to address them. These efforts demonstrate the UK leadership’s commitment to the advancement of AI research along with AI safety.