British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to unveil a 50-point plan to turn the United Kingdom into a “world leader” in artificial intelligence (AI) and deliver a “decade of national renewal”.
The AI Opportunities Action Plan, set to be outlined in a speech by Starmer on Monday, will create dedicated AI growth zones to “turbocharge growth” and “boost living standards”, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Prime Minister’s Office said in a joint statement on Sunday.
The growth zones, the first of which will be established in Culham, Oxfordshire, will have faster planning approvals for data centres and better access to the energy grid, the statement said.
The blueprint, which adopts all 50 recommendations made by venture capitalist Matt Clifford in a report commissioned by the Labour Party government last year, also proposes a 20-fold increase in state-owned AI computing capacity as well as the establishment of a National Data Library and a dedicated AI Energy Council.
“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,” Starmer said.
“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.”
Starmer’s announcement comes as his Labour government is haemorrhaging support after just six months in office amid sluggish economic conditions.
The UK economy recorded 0 percent growth during the third quarter of 2024, raising fears the country could be headed for its second recession in the span of a year.
Starmer’s government has estimated that AI could be worth 47 billion pounds ($57m) in economic gains each year over a decade, based on an analysis by the International Monetary Fund that found the technology could boost productivity by as much as 1.5 percentage points a year.
The UK ranks third in AI prowess globally, after China and the United States, according to the 2023 Global AI Vibrancy Ranking compiled by Stanford University.
“Our plan will make Britain the world leader. It will give the industry the foundation it needs and will turbocharge the Plan for Change,” Starmer said, referring to six milestones he has set out for his government, including raised living standards for households and reduced hospital waiting lists.
“That means more jobs and investment in the UK, more money in people’s pockets, and transformed public services. That’s the change this government is delivering.”
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