The UK government has issued its response to the AI Opportunities Action Plan and has largely accepted its recommendations.
Building sufficient, secure, and sustainable AI infrastructure
The government is committed to building cutting-edge, secure, and sustainable AI infrastructure. It will take forward the recommendation to expand its sovereign compute capacity by at least twenty times by 2030. The government will now start a new supercomputing facility that will double the capacity of the UK’s national AI Research Resource. In recognition of the importance of compute for scientific disciplines beyond AI, DSIT is also extending the UK’s leading scientific computing resource, Archer2, at Edinburgh University, until November 2026. The government will also work with stakeholders to develop a long-term compute strategy aimed at ensuring that the UK has the AI infrastructure and compute capacity it needs. The government will publish the Compute Strategy in Spring 2025. DSIT will set out how the UK will seek to address the sustainability and security challenges of AI infrastructure as part of its long-term compute strategy.
AI Growth Zones
The government will create AI Growth Zones (AIGZs), areas with enhanced access to power and support for planning approvals, to accelerate the build out of AI infrastructure on UK soil. The first AI Growth Zone will be located at the headquarters of the UK Atomic Energy Authority. The government and UKAEA will seek a private-sector partner who would develop one of the UK’s largest AI data centres, beginning with 100MW of capacity and with plans to scale up to 500MW.
AI Energy Council
Clean and renewable energy solutions are needed to power the increasing energy demands of AI. To identify potential solutions, the Science and Technology Secretary of State and the Energy Secretary will co-chair a new AI Energy Council formed of industry leaders from the energy and AI sectors. The Energy Council will provide insight on the energy needs of AI, opportunities to accelerate investment in the development of renewable and innovative energy solutions, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and the role of AI in a modern, efficient and sustainable energy system.
National Data Library
As already announced, the government will create a National Data Library and will set out further details on it in due course.
AI skills and talent
The government aims to create a strong talent pipeline and address wider skills demands. Scholarship and fellowship programmes have a role to play, and the creation of Skills England and the Curriculum and Assessment Review aims to help upskill the existing workforce as well as teach young people the key skills they need.
Regulation
The government wants the right regulatory regime that addresses risks and actively supports innovation to drive AI trust and adoption across the economy. The government will set out its approach on AI regulation and will aim to ensure that the UK has a competitive copyright regime that supports both the AI sector and the creative industries. DSIT will confirm the AI Safety institute’s funding through upcoming Spending Reviews. DSIT will consult on proposed legislation to provide regulatory certainty. The government intends to establish the AISI as a statutory body.
The DBT and DSIT will work together to empower the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) to drive regulatory innovation for technologies and innovation through behavioural changes within regulators. Where appropriate and aligned to the government’s missions and industrial strategy, the RIO will work with DBT to issue targeted strategic guidance to regulators. The DBT will provide a public update as part of its wider approach to regulation. Sponsor departments will request that regulators with significant AI activities publicly report on their activities to promote AI innovation.
Change lives by embracing AI
AI can be used to make public services better. The government will use a flexible “Scan, Pilot, Scale” approach to adoption of AI across public services. Government will appoint AI Champions in particular sectors highlighted in the Industrial Strategy. The DSIT will also work with devolved and local government to identify AI adoption opportunities.
Next steps
The government will continue to develop its policy response to the Action Plan as part of the broader work before the Spring 2025 Spending Review. It will further set out its wider approach to AI in the Industrial Strategy’s Digital and Technologies Sector Plan. To track the delivery of the plan effectively, the Technology Secretary of State has created an AI Opportunities Unit in DSIT which will report to him regularly on progress across government.
