The Council for Science and Technology (CST) has today
published a report recognising the critical role of
semiconductors in achieving the UK's economic and security goals
and has set out the opportunity for the UK to build a globally
competitive AI chip design industry.
The Council, which provides independent advice to the Prime
Minister and Cabinet, highlights that the UK is uniquely
positioned to build an AI chip design industry
with the right investment and capabilities in place.
Recommendations in the report cover the skills and training
required to build an AI chip workforce, finance
and investment needs, and the infrastructure capabilities the UK
requires to achieve this.
Read the CST report Building a
Sovereign AI Chip Design Industry in
the UK.
CST's
recommendations to support a sovereign UK AI chip design industry
include:
-
Recommendation 1: DSIT and DfE should
increase the number of new chip designers in the UK workforce
by 2030.
-
Recommendation 2: DSIT and DfE should
consider how to expand investment in training and skills for
optoelectronics, in particular through the Optoelectronics
Research Centre (ORC).
-
Recommendation 3: DSIT and
MOD should set clear strategic objectives on semiconductors to
send a strong signal to the UK semiconductor industry on where
activity is most useful.
-
Recommendation 4: Government should
coordinate investment through the entire innovation pipeline to
support growth of the UK AI chip industry.
-
Recommendation 5: DSIT should
ensure the UK's semiconductor infrastructure
provides SME chip
companies and academics with affordable and timely access to
facilities.
-
Recommendation 6: DSIT and DBT should
explore UK access to the leading-edge technology required by UK
startups.
