Government shelves £1.3bn UK tech and AI plans
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Loading... - Maxim Sidorov
- 07 Aug 2024
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The new Labour government in the UK has decided to shelve £1.3 billion in funding for technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects that were promised by the previous Conservative administration. This includes £800 million for an exascale supercomputer at Edinburgh University and £500 million for AI Research Resource to support computing power for AI research. These funds were unveiled less than a year ago but were never allocated in the budget.
The decision has been met with criticism from various industry figures. Barney Hussey-Yeo, a tech business founder, expressed concerns that the lack of investment could drive entrepreneurs to the US. Chris van der Kuyl described the move as "idiotic." The trade body techUK urged the government to quickly propose new plans to avoid losing out to other countries in crucial future industries.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) defended its decision, citing the need to make tough spending choices across all departments to restore economic stability and achieve national growth. DSIT stated it remains committed to building technology infrastructure in the UK, despite the cuts.
The Conservative Party claimed that DSIT had underspent under its leadership, with shadow secretary Andrew Griffith asserting that the department was likely to underspend its budget for the current financial year when the election was called. He emphasized the previous government's commitment to science, research, and AI leadership.
The future of the Edinburgh exascale supercomputer project is now uncertain. The University of Edinburgh had already spent £31 million on infrastructure for the supercomputer. The university is seeking a meeting with Secretary of State Peter Kyle to discuss the situation. The exascale supercomputer was expected to be 50 times faster than any current UK computers and was prioritized by the previous government for advancing research in various fields, including AI, drug discovery, climate change, astrophysics, and advanced engineering.
Sue Daley, director of technology and innovation at techUK, emphasized the need for new proposals to support large-scale computing investments, which are crucial for scientific breakthroughs and economic growth. She warned that the UK could lose its competitive edge without timely government action.
The tech sector is a vital part of the UK economy, with a market value of $1.1 trillion (£863 billion) in the first quarter of 2024, according to Tech Nation. The Labour government, which has pledged to prioritize economic growth, faces pressure to support the tech industry despite the funding cuts.
