The Prime Minister yesterday unveiled government plans to use AI to boost growth and improve public services.
Key announcements in the PM's speech include the creation of AI Growth Zones, building a new supercomputer and setting up a new National Data Library - read more here.
AI experts, Dr Gordon Fletcher and Dr Richard Whittle, have both given their reaction to the proposals.
Dr Gordon Fletcher, Associate Dean: Research and Innovation, University of Salford’s Business School, commented: “The announcement by the Prime Minister seeking to turn the UK into an AI superpower is simultaneously encouraging and challenging. On the positive side, it is encouraging that the PM and the government are recognising the significance and wide-ranging impact that AI will have over the next few years in shaping all industry, business and the economy at a national and international levels. AI is also already contributing to the shape of politics, defence and international relations.
“It is unfortunate that over the last two years the public imagination of AI has been primarily focused on chat-based generative AI. For many, the PM's statement will simply sound like the plan is to build some form of UK chatbot. And with this perspective the perceived benefits will be on efficiency gains rather than growing the economy through generating knowledge, invention and discovering new applications for the spectrum of AI technology. This is the political challenge of winning hearts and minds, but it is also the basis of the huge underlying task that the announcement represents. There is infrastructure and the significant financial commitment needed to build new, innovative - and useful - models that are built on ethical principles and that avoid duplicating the effort and investment that has already happened with the (primarily) US technology companies.
“There is also the issue of skills development for future AI that has received less attention with this announcement. This is most likely not the case for creating prompt engineers. New models and evolving technology will make this need a temporary need for the current state of AI. Understanding the genuine skills and training needs involves the wider cultural change that the PM's statement asks for. An AI superpower asks for a culture of innovation, of using software as the tools of a new industrial revolution to create new services and even imagining entirely new sectors of the economy. That is a big ask, but it is one that could be triggered through sovereign AI with the right commitment and support.”
Dr Richard Whittle, University Fellow, University of Salford’s Business School, added: “Whilst I like the ambition of the AI plan. The overall impression is that the Labour Government - facing economic stagnation and an increasing cost of debt – is viewing Artificial Intelligence as a deus ex machina. AI has ‘arrived’ at just the right moment to rescue the flatlining UK economy. The PM’s plan makes it clear, AI is the panacea for long term underinvestment in infrastructure and skills. Unfortunately, this is unlikely to be the case the vital components of the UK economy which the PM’s plan looks to fix with AI, are in fact the necessary foundations required for a successful AI economy.
“Broadly, the individual components of Kier Starmer’s plan are appropriate, the hope is that it will be more than the sum of its parts. I remain to be convinced on this. The plan feels rushed out, an attempt to placate bond markets with a vision, however this vision is rather prosaic. Simply doing the same for a little less cost does not necessarily generate economic growth, guardrails to generate inclusive growth are sadly lacking. The promised “incredible change” needs to be positive and evenly distributed, as well as this the government needs to ensure it doesn’t sell the ‘family data silver’ for short term commercial gain.
“The core elements of the AI plan are robust and far reaching, albeit they are sensible suggestions which should have been sought out and actioned long ago. If they had, the required infrastructures for the UK to really benefit from AI may now be in place. Even with this plan, the UK is playing digital catch up in a very fast-moving race.”