- Since July, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government has reviewed AI costs, cancelling £1.3 billion in planned investments, including an £800 million supercomputer at Edinburgh University.
- Tech Minister Kyle shifts AI focus, dismisses adviser Rajkumar, aiming to cut costs and reduce direct investments.
OUR TAKE
AI strategy towards cost-cutting rather than direct industry investment. The government has cancelled £1.3 billion in planned AI investments, including a major supercomputer project. This move has sparked criticism from industry leaders who fear Britain may fall behind in AI innovation. In contrast, France is investing heavily in AI, positioning itself as a European leader in the field. The Labour government’s focus is now on using AI to improve public sector efficiency, which some view as a sign of reduced ambition.
-Tacy Ding，BTW reporter
What happened
Britain’s Labour government is developing a new cost-cutting artificial intelligence strategy ahead of a crucial autumn budget, focusing on the adoption of AI in the public sector rather than direct investment into the industry.
Since taking office in July, Prime Minister Keir Starmer‘s government has been reviewing the costs associated with AI. It has already cancelled £1.3 billion ($1.72 billion) of planned investment in related technologies—initiated by the previous Conservative government—including an £800 million investment earmarked for developing a supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh.
Although £1.3 billion is a relatively small amount in the context of AI investments, Starmer’s government has faced criticism from industry leaders who believe this move indicates that Britain is losing interest in supporting innovation.
In contrast, France, which is emerging as a European hub for generative AI, recently committed 2.5 billion euros ($2.77 billion) to developing the technology domestically.
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Why it’s important
“Labour always needs to somehow look different to the Tories, and reining in the AI safety stuff, the focus on existential risks, is an easy way to do that,” the source said.
Signaling a change in direction, tech minister Peter Kyle dismissed Nitarshan Rajkumar, a co-founder of the AI Safety Institute, from his role as a senior policy adviser in July, according to three sources close to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
While it’s common for a new administration to appoint its own advisers, some in the industry view Rajkumar’s dismissal as an unforced error. Rajkumar announced his departure from DSIT on the social media platform X, but did not mention that his contract had been terminated.
Tech minister Kyle aims to promote AI adoption in the public sector to enhance efficiency and reduce costs, while scaling back the government’s direct investments into the industry, according to the three sources.
“I think Peter Kyle sees this (AI) as an easy source of savings,” the attendee of the Downing Street meeting said. “We’re seeing a serious scaling back of ambition.”
