The UK has always led the way on innovation – now it must do so on AI
3 min read
The World Wide Web. Raspberry PI. The COVID vaccine.
The UK has always led the way in pioneering the tools, techniques and inventions that transform the way we live, work and play.
And when it comes to AI, our role shouldn’t be any different. The UK must be a leader in setting the pace of this metamorphic debate.
Many claim that in Rishi Sunak we have our first ‘truly technological’ Prime Minister. When he graduated, Facebook was a mere glint in Mark Zuckerberg’s eye and the Metaverse was something that Sunak himself would have expected to see in one of his favourite Star Wars movies. His background in tech places him in a unique position to understand the benefits and challenges that AI brings.
I don’t subscribe to the doomsday view that AI will cause unbelievable havoc for our lives and livelihoods. A majority of Brits surveyed by the Jimmy’s Jobs podcast trust the UK government to lead on AI global regulation. A global AI watchdog in London and the much-hailed international AI summit are two good moves- but AI champions should be appointed in each industry and the AI white paper, already out of date, should be rapidly updated.
The government is seizing the narrative but they must go further - and faster to maximise the impact that AI is already having. Benefits in drug discovery are already improving public health and the economy. Government investment in AI scholarships for students from disadvantaged backgrounds is another positive move.
When it comes to education, Sunak’s government should teach the basics of what AI is as part of the national curriculum. They should incentivise teachers to incorporate machine learning in their everyday tasks, challenging the naysayers and using innovation to make the UK the best place in the world to be educated.
For business, the government should consider tax breaks or investment incentives for companies that invest in AI technology. They need to speed up reforms to financial regulations that encourage additional venture capital investment and listings from high-growth technology firms. Areas of the City like Canary Wharf should be transformed into AI hubs, developing our own British version of Silicon Valley.
And businesses also need direction, education and training on the implementation of AI into their way of working.
Further polling by the Jimmy’s Jobs podcast revealed that 52% of people have not used ChatGPT. Less than 1 in 5 Brits have had training about AI provided by their employer, yet 2 out of 3 employees think it’s important to have training on how AI could be used in the workplace. The government should champion grants for professional AI training in the workplace and embrace these opportunities to upskill our workforce. AI can enhance- not replace - employees, employers and entrepreneurs up and down Britain - and export Global Britain’s knowledge and expertise across the globe.
Perhaps the biggest transformation can be in the way our country is run. The way that we access our vital everyday services such as the NHS and transportation - and how their core functions are delivered should be urgently reviewed as part of ways to make our public services efficient for the taxpayer. Each government department should have an ‘AI ambassador,’ reporting to the AI Minister with recommendations for development and innovation. We mustn’t be afraid to try new things - and we must not be behind the curve.
It’s government’s job to make sure that we all take advantage of the benefits of AI. This unique moment in our technological future is ours to seize. I hope that we rapidly- and intelligently do so.
Laura Dunn is a communications and digital advisor and has advised many senior members of Government and parliamentarians.
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