Keir Starmer: AI is the global race of our lives

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said artificial intelligence (AI) is the “force of change that will transform the lives of working people for the better.”

In his speech addressing the government’s new AI action plan, Starmer vowed to make the UK an AI world leader, adding it “is the defining opportunity of our generation”.  

The prime minister said: “Britain is going to shape the future. We are going to make the breakthroughs. We are going to create the wealth, and we are going to make AI work for everyone in our country.”

He added: “Mark my words, Britain will be one of the great AI superpowers”

Starmer said AI will “drastically improve public services” and “turbocharge growth”, pointing to its potential to cut waiting times, free time for health professionals and teachers, and “help in the fight against tax avoidance”.

Earlier today the UK Government announced its new AI Action Plan, which outlines how the technology will drive economic growth and improve public services.

The plan takes forward the 50 recommendations set out by entrepreneur Matt Clifford, who the government tasked in July to deliver a new AI Opportunities Action Plan on how to accelerate the use of AI to improve people’s lives.

As part of it, the government will create AI growth zones to speed up planning permission for AI infrastructure as well as build a “brand new” supercomputer to increase the computing capacity need to power the cutting-edge technology.

During his speech, Starmer said Clifford, along with Demis Hassabis, chief executive of software company DeepMind, will be joining his team at number 10 as well, to take the plan forward.

The prime minister also pledged to make the UK the “best place to start and scale an AI business”, to create a regulatory framework that is “pro-growth” and “pro innovation”, and to continue the prior Tory government’s work to become an AI safety hub.

“We will test and understand AI before we regulate it to make sure than when we do it, its proportionate and grounded in the science but at the same time we will offer the political stability that business needs.”

He added: “AI is the way to secure growth, to raise living standards, put money in people’s pockets, create exciting new companies and transform our public services.”