Starmer's AI Plan Aims to Make UK an AI Superpower, Increase Compute by 20x

Jan 13, 2025, 11:54 AM

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled the AI Opportunities Action Plan, an ambitious strategy aiming to position Britain as a global AI superpower. The plan includes increasing the country's sovereign compute capacity by over 20 times by 2030 and establishing a National Data Library to unlock valuable data resources. The government intends to open up the UK's vast NHS health data to AI research, helping to drive medical advancements while ensuring data remains anonymous and secure. The Treasury has begun using AI to sort and respond to taxpayer emails, demonstrating the government's commitment to integrating AI into public services. The plan also proposes the creation of AI Growth Zones to foster innovation, simplify planning approvals, and improve energy grid access for data centers. Starmer emphasized the UK's unique position to develop its own regulatory regime for AI, stating, "We will go our own way on this," distinguishing Britain from the US and EU approaches. Acknowledging potential job disruptions, the government plans to ensure the technology is used safely and benefits working people. The AI Opportunities Action Plan has already encouraged £14 billion of inward investment and aims to create over 13,000 jobs. Starmer expressed willingness to collaborate with industry leaders, saying, "We will work with anybody in this sector, whether it's Elon Musk or anybody else." The plan aims to capitalize on AI's transformative potential across sectors, including healthcare, where AI is being used in Coventry Hospital to help treat stroke patients, positioning the UK at the forefront of the global AI revolution.