UK Government announces £100m to support ‘more agile’ Artificial Intelligence regulation

The UK government has announced £100m to support ‘more agile’ AI regulation. It comes as £10m is announced to prepare and upskill regulators to address the risks and harness the opportunities of this defining technology. 

The fund will help regulators develop ‘cutting-edge’ research and practical tools to monitor and address risks and opportunities in their sectors, from telecoms and healthcare to finance and education.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Michelle Donelan, commented: “The UK’s innovative approach to AI regulation has made us a world leader in both AI safety and AI development.

“I am personally driven by AI’s potential to transform our public services and the economy for the better, leading to new treatments for cruel diseases like cancer and dementia, and opening the door to advanced skills and technology that will power the British economy of the future.”

As part of the package of measures, nearly £90m will go towards launching nine new research hubs across the UK and a partnership with the US on responsible AI. The hubs will support British AI expertise in harnessing the technology across areas including healthcare, chemistry, and mathematics.

£19m will also go towards 21 projects to develop trusted and responsible AI and machine learning solutions to accelerate deployment of these technologies and drive productivity. The government will also be launching a steering committee in spring to support and guide the activities of a formal regulator coordination structure within government in the spring. 

These measures sit alongside the £100m invested by the government in the world’s first AI Safety Institute to evaluate the risks of new AI models, and the global leadership shown by hosting the world’s first major summit on AI safety at Bletchley Park in November.

Cybersecurity expert Andy Ward, VP International for Absolute Software, added: “The heightened risk of cyber-attacks, amplified by evolving AI-powered threats, makes vulnerable security systems a prime target for cyber attackers.

“By investing in secure, trusted, and responsible AI systems, the government initiative contributes to strengthening the national cybersecurity infrastructure and protects against AI-related threats.”

“Organisations must always look to adopt a comprehensive cybersecurity approach with proactive and responsive measures, especially around rapidly evolving innovations such as AI.”