UK to invest £100m in AI Biosecurity Lab to help keep Brits safe from biological threats
The government will spend £600 million to protect the country from health and security threats linked to artificial intelligence. It will also provide money to help deal with job losses.
Much of the money will go towards a new laboratory that will use AI to spot biological threats (Image: Romuald Meigneux/SIPA/Shutterstock)
The government has confirmed that it will set up a national AI Biosecurity Lab to help protect the UK against growing biological threats. The lab is part of a much larger £600 million spending plan.
The government has approved a new, highly secure robotics project that is the first of its kind in the world. It will be formally confirmed during Wednesday's Budget.
Chancellor John Healey will also promise millions of pounds for several projects to improve the UK's ability to deal with new cyber threats and dangers linked to AI.
The plans come after experts raised concerns about AI. Some people working in the artificial intelligence industry have quit because they fear that 'superintelligence' is becoming so difficult to control that humanity could become extinct within ten years.
The Chancellor's plans include £10 million a year to help the UK understand how AI will change jobs and industries in the coming years.
Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey has confirmed the major spending plan for AI (Image: Michael Bowles/Shutterstock)
Mr Healey said: "AI will change everyday life. Every business, community, hospital and school, as well as every part of our economy, can benefit. I understand and share the concerns of working people, so I am setting out a British approach to AI.
"This approach will make sure workers are not left behind and that our national interests are protected. It will also make sure people across the country share in the benefits of economic growth powered by AI."
The government described the plans as a "major package of investment to unlock the opportunities of AI in every postcode, scale up home grown AI firms, and keep the country safe from hostile threats".
The government said the funding showed confidence in the UK's ability to lead in AI talent and tackle biological threats. It will be supported by up to £200 million in AI model credits from OpenAI and Anthropic, as well as partnerships with Google DeepMind and Basecamp Research, a London-based company that develops AI for life sciences.
More details will be announced in Wednesday's Budget (Image: Getty Images)
The plans to increase AI spending also include an extra £120 million for the UK's AI Security Institute. AI Minister Kanishka Narayan said Britain could not afford to fall behind. He said more plans would be announced next week.
He said: "Our new AI Biosecurity Lab will be a major new global institution. It will bring together leading scientific experts from around the world to protect people from new biological threats and help Britain become a world leader in AI safety and security.
"As AI becomes more powerful, Britain must have the tools and skills needed to protect its people and shape its own future. That means staying ahead of new threats, from cyber attacks to biological dangers, while developing more of the critical technology that our security depends on.
"We cannot afford to depend entirely on technology built overseas. By supporting British science, advanced chips and our own AI companies, we can improve national security, rebuild Britain's industrial strength and create good jobs that require specialist skills across the country."
A new £70 million National Exposure and Real-Time Vulnerability Centre will also use AI tools to find weaknesses in computer systems across the UK's essential services and economy.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said: "I'm proud that the UK has repeatedly been a world leader in efforts to use AI to benefit humanity.
"Today's investment will help the UK make the most of the opportunities AI offers to improve national security, while staying ahead of people who want to use AI to harm us."