The British government will allocate 100 million pounds ($125 million) to establish a Foundation Model taskforce to spur the development of ‘sovereign AI’.
According to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the potential of artificial intelligence opens opportunities for economic growth and the creation of high-paying jobs.
“By investing in new technologies, we can strengthen leadership in the development of safe and reliable AI within the framework of building a more innovative economy,” he said.
Under the government’s plan, the taskforce will help UK firms and developers create advanced AI systems and procure technologies for public services. The first pilots are expected to launch within the next six months.
The initiative follows a previously announced government commitment to allocate £900m ($1.1bn) to create a supercomputer designed for training and operating its own AI models.
The Foundation Model will include government and industry experts. They will report directly to the prime minister and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
The UK government believes that machine learning could add 7% to global GDP over the next decade. Officials hope that launching the taskforce will allow the country to reap the benefits.
“We must act now to seize the opportunities that AI can offer in the future. We are backing our expert taskforce with funding to realise our ambitions and maintain Britain’s leadership in this space,” said Michelle Donelan, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology.
She noted that one of the key directions of the taskforce would be to ensure the safety and reliability of AI systems. In her words, this will strengthen public and business trust needed for confident adoption of AI and full realisation of its benefits.
In April, U.S. authorities announced plans to create a dedicated group to study how the government can use AI to protect national security.