John Healey pledges to use budget to harness power of AI to bolster Britain’s security
Chancellor John Healey has announced plans to use Wednesday's budget to invest hundreds of millions of pounds in artificial intelligence to bolster Britain's security and prosperity amid the global technology arms race.
As he prepares for his debut budget, the chancellor said that Andy Burnham's government would commit substantial funding to develop a "distinctively British" approach to AI that would capitalize on the benefits of this frontier technology. Healey emphasized that this represents the biggest ever investment to guard against cyber risks and the disruptive potential of artificial intelligence.
At a time when AI developments pose both existential threats and transformative economic potential, Healey promised fresh investment for Britain's AI Security Institute and other critical institutions, alongside allocating public money to support the use of the technology for beneficial purposes.
AI will transform daily life: every firm, community, hospital, school and every aspect of our economy can benefit.
Three months into Burnham's premiership, Healey is delivering this budget against an increasingly volatile backdrop as the war in the Middle East sends shock waves through the global economy, putting pressure on public finances and reigniting the cost of living crisis.
Economic Context
The chancellor has vowed to use his first budget to provide households and businesses with "breathing space" as the global surge in energy costs triggered by the war hits millions of families this winter. On Friday, the latest tensions in the Gulf sent the oil price to its highest level for six months, rising above $117 a barrel at one point.
However, he will also use this opportunity to flesh out Burnham's policy priorities for government after he replaced Keir Starmer this summer, and to spell out a vision for Britain amid the increasingly turbulent global economic outlook.
Security Concerns
The investment comes amid growing fears over the security of the nation and critical industries as the technology opens up the danger of cyber-attacks, IT systems turning rogue and devastating job losses. This week, websites around the globe went dark after a serious vulnerability was found in a computer language used to build much of the world wide web, a development made possible by rapid AI advances.
It also emerged that Barclays is cutting 5,000 jobs as part of cost-saving plans identified by bosses as the rollout of AI across the bank helps it make efficiency gains.
I'm proud the UK has repeatedly been at the forefront of global efforts to use AI for the benefit of humankind. Today's investment will help the UK seize the opportunities AI presents to strengthen our national security, while staying one step ahead of those who seek to use AI to do us harm.
Investment Details
The government will spend £10m a year to lead the UK's work on understanding how AI will reshape jobs and industry, aiming to address concerns about potential job disruption. New investments will be made in AI chip design capability in Edinburgh, alongside a new AI Centre of Excellence in Manchester.
As part of the plan, the Treasury will back up to £300m in public-private investment in a new AI Biosecurity Lab, designed to serve as a world-leading institution bringing together scientific expertise to protect people from emerging biological threats.
The measures come after the defence secretary, Wes Streeting, warned that UK households should make preparations against mounting risks from weather, cyber or other serious emergencies, including stocking up on supplies to last 72 hours in a campaign called Be Ready.
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