AI Funding Set To Double

Britain’s already rapidly growing Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector is set for a period of increased development following this month’s Spring Budget announcement that funding for the Alan Turing Institute is set to double.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt confirmed that the national body for data science and artificial intelligence will receive a boost of £100m over the next five years in a plan that is designed to spearhead AI developments and turn the UK into a science powerhouse.

AI is. already helping businesses across multiple disciplines, not least through the use of chatbots and other customer-facing features, in recent years. However, since taking the role in 2022, Hunt has regularly stated the intention for Britain to emulate America in using AI as a catalyst for significant growth in fields that rely on data science.

The announcement regarding the Alan Turing Institute, which was launched in 2015, shows that Hunt is doubling down on the desire to ensure that Britain is at the forefront of data science while AI becomes a key feature in shaping how technology improves our lives. This follows previous proposals that the UK should allow innovators in the field of AI to work with fewer restrictions and boundaries.

Three areas have been highlighted as beneficiaries of the funding boost as the Treasury pointed towards improved healthcare, environmental protection, and national security as the priorities. By tackling domestic and global challenges, the funds are set to directly benefit the public as well as accelerate the development of AI within those three spaces. 

Increased funding is a welcome boost for the Institute, which has stated its intention to become a globally recognised centre of research and innovation within the AI arena. Meanwhile, it has been suggested that AI could add £3.5tn annually to the global economy. With the UK currently positioned as the fourth leading nation in AI (behind the US, China and Singapore), the £100m injection into the industry is set to help it tap into that £3.5tn by remaining Europe’s leading market.

The Alan Turing Institute sets out to “advance world-class research and apply it to national and global challenges, build skills for the future, and drive an informed public conversation”. Its major successes in recent years include reducing carbon footprints in shipping, mapping habitats in the Peak District, and analysing the online abuse of footballers.

While the funding boost will primarily aim to support healthcare, national defence, and projects for the environment, the benefits of increased funding are set to be felt across all industries. As AI continues to play a dominant role in public conversations, not least when combined with the growth of ChatGPT and other tools that are used by an increasing percentage of the population, it should continue to benefit a growing number of businesses and people alike.

AI may have been heavily discussed throughout the 20th century, with Turing’s work before his death in 1954 paving the way for further developments, but implementations and capabilities have grown exponentially in the past 10 years. With modern AI still in its infancy, the landscape could look vastly different in another five. Following the injection of extra funding, the UK can expect to be at the heart of it.

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