Chancellor of the Exchequer (): AI is an age-defining
technological change. The government will ensure AI is a force
for good, strengthening the UK's security and resilience and
protecting against emerging threats. This will ensure the UK can
shape the change AI will bring, seize the opportunities it
presents, and not be left vulnerable or dependent on other
countries.
The economic opportunities from AI will only be realised if our
critical infrastructure, public services and businesses are
resilient to emerging threats. The Government will invest £165
million in a new National AI Biosecurity Initiative, including
£100 million for an AI Biosecurity Lab and £65 million to
strengthen biosurveillance and develop medical countermeasures.
We will provide an additional £120 million for the AI Security
Institute to strengthen its testing and research and develop
technical standards to help mitigate AI risks. We will also
invest £60 million in a National Cyber Shield, including a £25
million challenge fund for UK AI and cyber-security innovators,
and establish a £70 million National Exposure and Real-Time
Vulnerability Centre to identify cyber vulnerabilities across our
critical infrastructure and economy. A further £24m in investment
will support the systematic hardening of the public sector
technology estate.
Alongside protecting against emerging risks, the Government will
strengthen the capabilities needed to ensure Britain can shape
its own economic future. We will provide an additional £60
million for the Sovereign AI Fund to invest in promising UK AI
companies, including a new focus on physical and industrial AI; a
further £60 million for the Sovereign AI R&D Procurement
Scheme; and £18 million for a new UK Advanced Chip Design Academy
to strengthen advanced chip-design capability.
Every part of the country must be able to benefit from AI. We
will start by piloting local AI partnerships with Mayoral
Strategic Authorities, bringing together local leaders,
businesses and education providers to pursue locally-led
approaches to AI adoption. We will provide £15 million for an AI
Challenge Prize to incentivise innovators to develop AI solutions
to frontline public service challenges, with a first year's focus
on health, and £10m per year for the AI Economics Institute to
lead the UK's work in understanding the evidence on AI's impact
on productivity, growth, jobs and living standards. The
Government will also establish a new AI Cyber Security Centre of
Excellence in Manchester to train the next generation of cyber
and AI experts.
Together, these measures will strengthen Britain's security and
resilience, build domestic capability and help ensure that people
across the country benefit from AI.
