UK Government unveils plan for AI to ‘revolutionise’ public services

The UK Government has unveiled its plans for artificial intelligence to “transform the lives of working people”.

The new action plan, published today, outlines how the cutting-edge technology will boost economic growth and improve public services.

The plan will make the UK an AI investment hub and “deliver incredible change for our country”, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said.

It 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.

Starmer said: “Artificial Intelligence will drive incredible change in our country. From teachers personalising lessons, to supporting small businesses with their record-keeping, to speeding up planning applications, it has the potential to transform the lives of working people.

"But the AI industry needs a government that is on their side, one that won’t sit back and let opportunities slip through its fingers. And in a world of fierce competition, we cannot stand by. We must move fast and take action to win the global race.”

“Our plan will make Britain the world leader. It will give the industry the foundation it needs and will turbocharge the 'plan for change'. That means more jobs and investment in the UK, more money in people’s pockets, and transformed public services.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves called the action plan the “modern industrial strategy”, adding that it would create new jobs and grow the economy, meaning “working people have more money in their pocket”.

Estimates by the International Monetary Fund has shown that AI could boost production by up to 1.5 per cent per year, and, if fully realised, this could be worth around £47bn to the UK each year over a decade.

Backed by a £14bn investment from major tech firms, the plan will create AI growth zones to speed up planning permission for AI infrastructure such as data centres, and facilitate their connection to the grid.

Following Clifford’s recommendations, the government will also build a “brand new” supercomputer to increase the computing capacity need to power AI. The news comes after the University of Edinburgh saw its exascale supercomputer project shelved in July as part of a £1.3m cut to AI projects which had been pledged by the previous Tory government.

A University of Edinburgh spokesperson told Holyrood: “As the AI Opportunities Action Plan notes, the case for non-AI supercomputing is already well established, including the need to deliver an exascale capability.

“We are continuing discussions with all partners to ensure there is no break in continuity of national supercomputing provision, which supports innovative scientific and industrial research from all of the UK. AI and traditional supercomputing go hand-in-hand and are not in competition with each other.”

Other measures include creating a new National Data Library and a dedicated AI Energy Council to “understand the energy demands” of the technology.