AI Expert To Lead Action Plan To Ensure UK Reaps The Benefits Of Artificial Intelligence

The Secretary of State on 26th of July, appointed Tech entrepreneur and Chair of Advanced Research And Invention Agency (ARIA), Matt Clifford, to kickstart this work. He will deliver a new AI Opportunities Action Plan to identify ways to accelerate the use of AI to improve people’s lives by making services better and developing new products.  

As well as exploring how to build a UK AI sector that can scale and compete on the global stage, the plan will also set out how to boost take up of the technology across all parts of the economy, and consider the necessary infrastructure, talent, and data access required to drive adoption by the public and private sectors. 
 
The Action Plan will play a vital role in driving up productivity and kickstarting economic growth. Estimates from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) show that while the exact economic impact hinges on the wider development and adoption of AI, and realisation could be gradual, the UK could ultimately see productivity gains of up to 1.5 percent annually.   

Matt Clifford will deliver a set of recommendations to the Science Secretary in September. Alongside this, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) – acting as the digital centre of government - will also establish an AI Opportunities Unit to bring together the knowledge and expertise to take full advantage of AI and implement recommendations from the Action Plan.  

The Action Plan will also consider key enablers such as the UK’s compute and broader infrastructure requirements by 2030, how this infrastructure is made available for start-ups and scale-ups and how to develop and attract top AI talent in the public and private sector.  

The announcement follows the Science Secretary making his first visit since being appointed to the role, where he recently met staff at the Government Digital Service (GDS) and Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), who have newly become part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.