The UK Science Secretary, Peter Kyle, has commissioned a comprehensive Action Plan to harness the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive economic growth.
The announcement highlights the government’s commitment to positioning AI at the centre of its agenda to deliver sustained economic growth and improved public services.
On 26 July, Peter Kyle appointed tech entrepreneur and Chair of the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), Matt Clifford, to spearhead this initiative. Clifford will develop an AI Opportunities Action Plan aimed at accelerating AI adoption to enhance services and create innovative products. The plan will also explore strategies to build a competitive UK AI sector, promote technology uptake across various economic sectors, and address the infrastructure, talent, and data access needs to facilitate AI adoption.
AI Opportunities Action Plan
The AI Opportunities Action Plan is set to play a crucial role in increasing productivity and stimulating economic growth. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), AI could potentially boost the UK’s productivity by up to 1.5 percent annually, though the full economic impact will depend on the broader adoption and development of AI technologies.
Matt Clifford is expected to present a set of recommendations to the Science Secretary by September. Concurrently, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) will establish an AI Opportunities Unit. This unit will consolidate expertise to maximise AI’s benefits and implement the recommendations from the Action Plan.
Statements from Key Officials
Science Secretary Peter Kyle stated, “We’re putting AI at the heart of the government’s agenda to boost growth and improve our public services. Matt Clifford brings a wealth of experience and shares my ambition when it comes to realising the opportunities of AI, using it to drive growth and improve people’s lives. Together we will use AI to drive productivity and economic growth in every part of the country so we can make everyone better off.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves added, “Growing our economy and rebuilding Britain to make everyone better off is our number one mission – and artificial intelligence has the potential to raise productivity and help us do that. Our AI Opportunities Unit will unlock its full potential to grow a more productive economy, create good jobs across the country and deliver the excellent public services that people deserve whilst saving taxpayers money.”
Matt Clifford expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “AI presents us with so many opportunities to grow the economy and improve people’s lives. The UK is leading the way in many areas, but we can do even better. I’m excited to start work and develop an ambitious road map to identify the biggest opportunities and support the new government as it makes important choices about where to focus its efforts.”
Engaging Industry and Civil Society
The development of the Action Plan will commence immediately, engaging key figures across industry and civil society. The plan will also address essential enablers such as the UK’s computing and broader infrastructure needs by 2030, ensuring these resources are accessible for start-ups and scale-ups. Additionally, it will focus on developing and attracting top AI talent in both the public and private sectors.
This announcement follows Peter Kyle’s recent visit to the Government Digital Service (GDS) and the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), now part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. This visit underscores the department’s role as the digital centre of government, poised to lead the way in integrating Artificial Intelligence into the UK’s economic and public service frameworks.
