Tag: Department for Science Innovation and Technology

The press release issued by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology on 25 February 2025.

Sir Ian will lead the team at UKRI in backing thousands of researchers and innovators in developing solutions which improve people’s lives and help grow the economy.

Professor Sir Ian Chapman will become the next CEO of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), leading a refreshed mission that puts economic growth at the heart of public investment in R&D, helping to fulfil the potential of science and technology in improving lives, Science Minister Lord Vallance has announced today (Tuesday 25 February).

UKRI is the country’s largest public research funder, with a budget of £9 billion per year, giving it a central role in ensuring public funding is invested in ambitious, pioneering research that will benefit the whole of the UK and provide a clear return on investment for hardworking taxpayers.

Its work in recent years includes backing the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, which has saved countless lives and the construction of the world’s most advanced wind turbine test facility, helping the UK to become a clean energy superpower. It has also been a major contributor to the £1 billion of UK public investment in AI R&D so far so the UK captures the technology’s opportunities to enhance growth and productivity as the third largest AI market in the world.

Sir Ian will lead its team in supporting thousands of bright researchers and innovators in developing solutions from life-saving medicines to protecting our environment – ultimately making a visible, positive difference to people’s lives and supporting the missions at the heart of the Government’s Plan for Change.

His experience will be a major asset in drawing on the UK’s world-leading research talent, facilities, universities and businesses, as drivers of R&D which will kickstart economic growth, make Britain a clean energy superpower and build an NHS fit for the future.

During his time as CEO of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, Sir Ian has led the transition from an organisation rooted in deep R&D excellence, to one that is now also delivering a major infrastructure project to design and build a prototype powerplant; driving inward investment and economic growth; and enabling development of a skilled workforce and supply chain.

Science Minister, Lord Vallance, said:

“Growing the economy is this government’s number one mission and taking full advantage of the innovative ideas, talent and facilities across our country is key to reaching that goal and improving lives across the UK.

“Sir Ian’s leadership experience, scientific expertise and academic achievements make him an exceptionally strong candidate to lead UKRI in pursuing ambitious, curiosity-driven research, as well as innovations that will unlock new benefits for the UK’s people and drive our Plan for Change.

“We also thank Dame Ottoline Leyser ahead of her stepping down this summer, recognising her pivotal work in guiding UKRI through challenging times, notably during the Covid pandemic and through the UK’s return to participation in Horizon Europe.”

Incoming UKRI CEO, Professor Sir Ian Chapman, said:

“I am excited to be joining an excellent team at UKRI focussed on improving the lives and livelihoods of UK citizens.

“Research and innovation must be central to the prosperity of our society and our economy, so UKRI can shape the future of the country.

“I was tremendously fortunate to represent UKAEA, an organisation at the forefront of global research and innovation of fusion energy, and I look forward to building on those experiences to enable the wider UK research and innovation sector.”

Through our world-class universities and institutes, UKRI develops and nurtures future talent who can maintain the UK’s position as a global hub of research, development and deployment in the long term while collaborating with partners around the world so that scientific and technological advances driven in the UK can benefit lives at home and around the world.

UKRI plays a key part in driving up UK participation in the world’s largest research programme, Horizon Europe, helping to build a more efficient and joined-up approach to research funding and unleashing the power of UK research and innovation.

UKRI will also play an increasing role in steering our long-term industrial strategy, removing barriers to growth and building on the UK’s strategic advantage in its fundamental science capability.

UKRI Chairman, Sir Andrew Mackenzie, said:

“The board and I are delighted that Ian will become UKRI’s next CEO in the summer.

“Research and Innovation are fundamental to UK growth. Ian has the skills, experience, leadership and commitment to unlock this opportunity to improve the lives and livelihoods of everyone. We look forward to working with him on the next phase of UKRI’s development and our stewardship of the UK’s innovation culture and systems.

“We thank Ottoline for an outstanding five years as UKRI’s CEO. She has delivered a step-change in operational effectiveness and cross-discipline work through collective and inclusive leadership and secured more social and commercial impacts from our investments.”

Climate Minister Kerry McCarthy said:

“I’d like to thank Sir Ian for his many years of dedicated service at UK Atomic Energy Agency, the last nine as CEO. In that time, he has transformed the organisation into a world leading hub for fusion energy commercialisation and driven the UK and global strategy for fusion development forward.

“I am delighted that the UK will continue to benefit from his drive and expertise in his new role. We will shortly begin recruiting a new UKAEA CEO to lead the UK’s world-class fusion programme into the next decade.”

Notes to editors

• Established in 2018, UKRI is a non-departmental public body that combines the strengths of nine distinct research and innovation funders:
• Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
• Innovate UK (IUK)
• Medical Research Council (MRC)
• Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
• Research England (RE)
• Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
• Sir Ian – who currently sits on UKRI’s Board – will take up the post in the summer, bringing strong leadership experience from his role as CEO of the UK Atomic Energy Authority since 2016 and links to academia. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Physics, and a visiting Professor at Durham University.
• With a background in fusion and firm grasp of the part that ambitious and targeted R&D can play in improving lives, he has published over 100 journal papers and received several awards for his research.
• His appointment follows an open recruitment process launched in August 2024, after Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser announced her intention to stand down as UKRI’s CEO from June 2025.
• Having held the post since 2020, Dame Ottoline leaves a strong foundation to build on, from navigating the continued delivery of research through the pandemic to supporting the UK’s return to participation in Horizon Europe – putting UKRI in a strong position to bolster its role as an engine for delivering pioneering research to improve lives and grow our economy.
• The UKAEA Board has provisionally agreed that Tim Bestwick (UKAEA deputy CEO) will take over as interim CEO of UKAEA after Sir Ian leaves, whilst a permanent replacement is appointed.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 14 February 2025.

Safeguarding Britain’s national security – a key pillar of the government’s Plan for Change – and protecting citizens from crime – will become founding principles of the UK’s approach to the responsible development of artificial intelligence from today (Friday 14 February), as the Technology Secretary sets out his vision for a revitalised AI Security Institute in Munich.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference and just days after the conclusion of the AI Action Summit in Paris, Peter Kyle has today recast the AI Safety Institute the ‘AI Security Institute’. This new name will reflect its focus on serious AI risks with security implications, such as how the technology can be used to develop chemical and biological weapons, how it can be used to carry out cyber-attacks, and enable crimes such as fraud and child sexual abuse.

The Institute will also partner across government, including with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, the Ministry of Defence’s science and technology organisation, to assess the risks posed by frontier AI.

As part of this update, the Institute will also launch a new criminal misuse team which will work jointly with the Home Office to conduct research on a range of crime and security issues which threaten to harm British citizens.

One such area of focus will be the use of AI to make child sexual abuse images, with this new team exploring methods to help to prevent abusers from harnessing the technology to carry out their appalling crimes. This will support work announced earlier this month to make it illegal to own AI tools which have been optimised to make images of child sexual abuse.

This means the focus of the Institute will be clearer than ever. It will not focus on bias or freedom of speech, but on advancing our understanding of the most serious risks posed by the technology to build up a scientific basis of evidence which will help policymakers to keep the country safe as AI develops. To achieve this, the Institute will work alongside wider government, the Laboratory for AI Security Research (LASR), and the national security community; including building on the expertise of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the UK’s national technical authority for cyber security, including AI.

The announcement comes just weeks after the government set out its new blueprint for AI to deliver a decade of national renewal, harnessing the technology to deliver on the Plan for Change. A revitalised AI Security Institute will ensure we boost public confidence in AI and drive its uptake across the economy so we can unleash the economic growth that will put more money in people’s pockets.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Peter Kyle said:

The changes I’m announcing today represent the logical next step in how we approach responsible AI development – helping us to unleash AI and grow the economy as part of our Plan for Change.

The work of the AI Security Institute won’t change, but this renewed focus will ensure our citizens – and those of our allies – are protected from those who would look to use AI against our institutions, democratic values, and way of life.

The main job of any government is ensuring its citizens are safe and protected, and I’m confident the expertise our Institute will be able to bring to bear will ensure the UK is in a stronger position than ever to tackle the threat of those who would look to use this technology against us.

As the AI Security Institute bolsters its security focus, the Technology Secretary is also taking the wraps off a new agreement which has been struck between the UK and AI company Anthropic.

This partnership is the work of the UK’s new Sovereign AI unit, and will see both sides working closely together to realise the technology’s opportunities, with a continued focus on the responsible development and deployment of AI systems.

This will include sharing insights on how AI can transform public services and improve the lives of citizens, as well as using this transformative technology to drive new scientific breakthroughs. The UK will also look to secure further agreements with leading AI companies as a key step towards turbocharging productivity and speaking fresh economic growth – a key pillar of the government’s Plan for Change.

Chair of the AI Security Institute Ian Hogarth said:

The Institute’s focus from the start has been on security and we’ve built a team of scientists focused on evaluating serious risks to the public.

Our new criminal misuse team and deepening partnership with the national security community mark the next stage of tackling those risks.

Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of Anthropic said:

AI has the potential to transform how governments serve their citizens. We look forward to exploring how Anthropic’s AI assistant Claude could help UK government agencies enhance public services, with the goal of discovering new ways to make vital information and services more efficient and accessible to UK residents.

We will continue to work closely with the UK AI Security Institute to research and evaluate AI capabilities in order to ensure secure deployment.

Today’s reset for the AI Security Institute comes just weeks after the UK government kickstarted the year by setting out a new blueprint for AI to spark a decade of national renewal.

Thanks to the work of the Institute, the UK now stands ready to fully realise the benefits of the technology while bolstering our national security as we continue to harness the age of AI.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 13 February 2025.

New government-funded fellowships will see researchers explore how AI can change the way we conduct research while 23 projects have been awarded funding to explore wider research and innovation.

New government-funded fellowships exploring how AI could change the way scientists drive future discoveries are now open for applications, Science Minister Lord Vallance has announced today (Thursday 13 February).

Metascience – the study of how science works – examines research practices, funding models, and how institutions operate to improve how science and research is conducted, and discoveries are made and applied. By understanding what makes scientific research more effective, metascience helps drive research breakthroughs faster and with greater impact – boosting economic growth and prosperity to drive our Plan for Change.

The AI Metascience Fellowship Programme will fund research into key questions, including how AI is reshaping the research landscape and both changing and supporting the daily work of scientists. It will explore ethical concerns such as biases in AI-driven research and transparency in AI-generated discoveries and economic impacts like shifts in research jobs and funding priorities.

The new fellowship builds on the momentum of the recent AI Action Summit, as global leaders work to ensure AI’s development benefits society and be rolled out across society in the public interest.

AI is already revolutionising research with DeepMind’s AlphaFold accelerating drug discovery, while AI-powered lab robotics are automating complex experiments and machine learning is transforming how scientists analyse vast datasets.

The programme will also examine how governments and businesses should respond, from ensuring AI-driven science remains rigorous and delivers reliable outcomes to supporting researchers to maximise their creative potential and spend less time on mundane tasks.

Funding will go towards researchers to apply their expertise in examining the technology’s broader effects on research. The £4 million UK programme will run alongside a US-based cohort funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, creating a transatlantic research effort to examine AI’s impact on science. Fellows from both countries will attend a fully funded summer school, strengthening international collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Applications are especially encouraged from projects exploring the impact of AI on research jobs and skills, how it affects the speed of scientific progress, and the challenges of ensuring AI-driven research remains reliable and explainable.

Science Minister, Lord Vallance said:

AI presents new opportunities in a range of sectors, and if researchers can demonstrate its potential to increase transparency, robustness and trust in science then this could pave the way to freeing them up from mundane paperwork tasks while driving growth.

Supporting researchers to explore how AI can change the way we conduct research and through our joint support with Open Philanthropy for 23 projects exploring wider research and innovation, we will build a better understanding of what works in research – maximising impact, driving discoveries and improving lives.

In addition to the Fellowship, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) have awarded £4.8 million in funding for 23 new research projects, which will tackle key questions about how to improve research and innovation, including AI’s impact on science, research integrity, and new models for funding and publishing research.

It follows a funding call launched last year and includes £1.8 million in co-funding from Open Philanthropy, a US-based foundation.

Among the winning projects:

• University of Sheffield: Assessing whether large language models – like ChatGPT – can reliably review academic work and contribute to the UK’s Research Excellence Framework and journal peer review
• University of Bath: Partnering with Sage Publishing and the Royal Society to test a two-stage peer review process, designed to increase trust in academic findings
• University College London (UCL): Working with Google DeepMind and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) to explore how AI-driven research can be applied to global challenges, including sustainability and healthcare

Notes to editors

List of the Metascience grant winners.

AI Peer: Large language models and academic peer review outcomes
Michael Thelwall, University of Sheffield.

Analysing the Reliability of Quantitative Impact Evaluations (ARGIE)
Jack Blumenau, University College London.

Assessing compliance with the FAIR Guiding Principles: a systematic evidence map of data availability in metabolomics research
Matt Spick, University of Surrey.

Big Science Beyond Science: The Innovation Impact of Research Infrastructure Procurement
Riccardo Crescenzi, LSE.

Commercialising Deep Tech: Understanding Frictions to University Invention Disclosure
Ramana Nanda, Imperial College London.

Cultural Traction: Embedding research culture strategy
S Martin Holbraad, University College London.

Evaluating the Development and Impact of AI-Assisted Integrity Assessment of Randomised Trials in Evidence Syntheses
Alison Avenell, University of Aberdeen.

Everything we (think we) know about Narrative CVs
Liz Simmonds, University of Cambridge.

Financial structures for enabling innovator participation and success: experimental evidence from challenge prizes
Vidal Kumar, Nesta.

Fostering a Dynamic Academic Ecosystem: Innovative Platforms and Methodologies for Econometrics
Martin Weidner, University of Oxford.

Making Replications Count: Identifying Barriers and Enhancing Impact with Innovative Dissemination Tools
Lukas Wallrich, Birkbeck, University of London.

Mapping impact pathways: improving our understanding of what mechanisms work in research translation
Alexandra Pollitt, King’s College London.

Metascience, research funding and policy priorities
Annette Boaz, King’s College London.

People or Projects (PoP)? Investigating different research funding styles
Ohid Yaqub, University of Sussex.

PRIME: Peer Review Improvement for Minimizing Bias in Evaluation
Katherine Button, University of Bath.

Providing empirical evidence to support greater equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in research funding
Philip Clarke, University of Oxford.

Public value mapping for AI
Jack Stilgoe, University College London.

Research Software Engineer Metascience
Heather Packer, University of Southampton.

Sharing Code for Medical Research: An Audit Tool and Pilot at The BMJ
Nicholas DeVito, University of Oxford.

Supporting Research and Researchers through the deployment of Digital Notebooks: A framework for implementation and impact
Andrew Stewart, University of Manchester.

Transparent and Reproducible Science in the 21st Century: Unlocking the Benefits of Open Source Code
Albert Bravo-Biosca, Nesta.

Understanding Scientific Prizes – Structure, Evolution and Impact
Ching Jin, University of Warwick.

Working together or writing together?
Steven Wooding, University of Cambridge.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 11 February 2025.

New AI models to diagnose and treat cancer and other incurable diseases will be made possible thanks to joint public-private investment giving flexible funding to British AI firms and researchers.

The UK government is today (Tuesday 11 February) unveiling £82.6 million in new flexible forms of research funding, plus a new commitment to give UK researchers access to cutting-edge computing resources as part of a plan to unlock the power of AI.

Two of the three projects benefiting from this support, which is helping to pioneer new ways of conducting research, will harness the power of AI to develop treatments and diagnostics for diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.

Coming as day two of the AI Action Summit gets underway, this is the latest evidence of the government’s commitment to seizing the potential of new technologies like AI to drive forward the Plan for Change, delivering economic growth and progress in key fields like health.

The government is putting £37.9 million backing behind three innovative British research projects, the Research Ventures Catalyst (RVC) programme. Together with a further £44.7 million in co-investment across the three projects, from other sources, this makes for a total £82.6 million backing.

The RVC programme is delivering novel ways of funding groundbreaking research, such as endowments, which are flexible and reflect the real needs of cutting-edge innovators. Too often, inflexible funding has been a barrier to some of the most innovative and creative research or has been an obstacle to new innovative businesses looking to scale-up. The RVC programme will support pioneering work training AI on the NHS’s vast pool of cancer data, drug discovery research, and more.

Today also sees the government expand UK involvement in the European High-Performance Computing (EuroHPC) Joint Undertaking by committing £7.8 million to fund UK researchers and businesses’ participation in EuroHPC research. This will mean British AI and high-performance computing researchers can work unobstructed with their peers across Europe. International collaboration and broad access to computational resources will be key to unlocking the benefits AI promises to deliver across society and the economy.

These announcements come on the final day of the AI Action Summit in France, where world leaders and AI companies have been holding a series of talks focused on the opportunities the technology can deliver for communities across the globe. The opportunities of AI are an area the UK government has placed a heavy focus on to kickstart 2025 – unveiling a new blueprint with 50 proposals in January which will spark a decade of national renewal.

Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle said:

The focus of this Summit has been on how we can put AI to work in the public interest, and today’s announcements are living proof of how the UK is leading that charge through our Plan for Change.

We’ve already set out a bold new blueprint for AI which will help to spark a decade of national renewal, and key to that plan is supporting our expert researchers and businesses with the support they need to drive forward their game-changing innovations.

Today, we open new avenues for them to do exactly that – building bridges with our international partners so the entire global community can share in the boundless opportunities of AI-powered progress and backing new innovative companies applying AI to tackle real-world challenges.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

NHS innovation saved my life when I was diagnosed with cancer and treated by a world-class surgeon equipped with a robot. I want more patients to benefit from this kind of groundbreaking treatment, and AI will be central to our efforts.

This new funding is another step to unlock the enormous potential of AI for cancer research and drug discovery – ensuring more patients like me experience the highest quality care.

AI will help us speed up diagnoses, cut waiting times for patients and free up staff, as we deliver our Plan for Change and shift the NHS from analogue to digital.

EuroHPC is a high-powered compute partnership which pools EU resources with those of participating states. Businesses and researchers will now be supported to participate in EuroHPC research grants in the development of supercomputers and in their deployment to tackle the most pressing scientific challenges, working in tandem with like-minded partners on the continent. UKRI will work with businesses and researchers to support them to apply for grants where match-funding is available.

The three projects being supported by the Research Ventures Catalyst (RVC) programme.

PharosAI

£18.9 million government funding plus £24.7 million co-investment. PharosAI, whose King’s College London site is being visited by AI Minister Clark today, will bring together decades of NHS and Biobank data and host it on a unified, powerful, secure, AI platform. This will revolutionise cancer care by accelerating the development of the next generation of AI models which will deliver new breakthroughs for diagnosing and treating the disease – transforming outcomes for patients and saving lives.

Professor Anita Grigoriadis, Professor of Molecular and Digital Pathology at King’s College London, CEO of PharosAI said:

AI has the potential to revolutionise cancer care. The UK has a real opportunity to be a major innovator, leading to faster diagnosis, novel and more targeted cancer treatments, and better-informed healthcare for patients. PharosAI will democratise cancer AI and create an ecosystem to navigate the path to AI-powered precision medicine. Thanks to the RVC programme, we will build an unique operational approach between King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Barts Health Trust and industry partners. Our innovative collaboration will accelerate scientific breakthroughs and bring vastly improved cancer care to tomorrow’s patients.

Bind Research

£12.9 million government funding plus £12.9 million co-investment. The team at Bind Research meanwhile will tap into AI to learn the rules of drugging currently undruggable proteins, offering hope to cure diseases that were once thought to be untreatable. It will do this by targeting disordered proteins associated with various diseases which could unlock scores of new avenues for treatment – potentially giving thousands of patients across the country a new lifeline.

Dr Gabi Heller, Dr Thomas Löhr, and Dr Gogulan Karunanithy, scientific co-founders, Bind Research said:

The Research Ventures Catalyst Programme has been a game changer for Bind Research. It allowed us to reimagine our approach by adopting a not-for-profit Focused Research Organisation model – a strategy that, until now, was largely uncharted territory in the UK. This innovative structure enables us to harness collective expertise to deliver AI-enhanced tools and datasets as public goods to advance our mission of making disordered proteins druggable for everyone.

MEMetic

£6.1 million government funding plus £7.1 million co-investment. MEMetic will receive funding for work to revolutionise water management by combining nature’s highly evolved solutions with state-of-the-art polymer chemistry. This will support them to develop new solutions in a range of fields from lithium recovery in battery recycling, to facilitating clean water access – helping the world tackle the climate crisis.

Professor Alan Goddard and Dr Matthew Derry, Aston University said:

MEMetic represents the culmination of years of planning a significant, challenging, interdisciplinary research program which promises massive real-world benefits. This RVC award will allow us to leverage our fundamental science to create bespoke bioinspired filtration membranes for a range of industries. Such research really requires long term funding which is set up to take research to an applied setting and the Research Venture we envisage perfectly matches our philanthropic aims for water treatment for all.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 10 February 2025.

Thousands of new jobs are set to be created as bidding opens for AI Growth Zones.

Thousands of new jobs are set to be created as the government opens bidding for its AI Growth Zones in a major drive to revitalise local communities as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

Local and regional authorities across the UK are being encouraged to put their communities forward to become dedicated hotbeds for AI infrastructure development and attracting millions in private investment.

The UK government will put particular focus on deindustrialised areas of the country to become the next AI Growth Zones as local and regional authorities submit their proposals, including sites with existing access to power or which would be suitable to establish major energy infrastructure.

This closely follows the AI Opportunities Action Plan, which has put the UK on course to revolutionise public services and become an AI superpower – already attracting over £14 billion in investment since launching just last month.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Peter Kyle, said:

We set out our new blueprint for AI less than a month ago, and we’re already delivering on that vision by harnessing technology to supercharge our Plan for Change.

These new AI Growth Zones will deliver untold opportunities – sparking new jobs, fresh investment and ensuring every corner of the country has a real stake in our AI-powered future.

We’re leaving no stone unturned in how we can harness expertise from all over the UK to deliver new opportunities, fresh growth, better public services and cement our position as an AI pioneer, and that’s the message I will be sending to international partners and AI companies at the AI Action Summit.

As part of the talks, he will also bang the drum for more inward investment to deliver the AI Opportunities Action Plan, including to build the infrastructure needed across AI Growth Zones.

Industry – including energy companies and data centre developers – are also being called upon to help drive forward government plans to rollout AI Growth Zones. Their proposals will help to inform the final selection of sites and broader policy decisions later this year, meaning the government will be able to move swiftly to secure investment and drive growth in regions across the country.

Interest is already building for promising sites in Scotland, Wales, the North East, and North West, with further exploratory work now set to begin on additional locations across the UK.

Scotland Office Minister, Kirsty McNeill, said:

Scotland has always been a leader in innovation, with our rich history of pioneering advancements in fields such as engineering, medicine, and technology, which continues today.

The UK government’s Plan for Change looks to harness AI’s potential in these industries and unlock new opportunities for innovation and economic growth.

Scotland is already at the centre of these plans, with our world-leading universities at the forefront of AI development and our industrial heritage providing a range of possible sites.  I would encourage our Local Authorities to explore becoming an AI Growth Zone, which will help attract further investment.

These areas will speed up planning permission to rapidly build AI infrastructure including data centres and give them the energy connections needed to power AI innovations in areas like healthcare. As part of this, the government will work with network operators to rapidly scale each zone to 500MW+, enough to power roughly two million homes.

This will attract significant private investment, create local jobs and strengthen the UK’s global AI leadership – delivering opportunities for working people across the country as part of the AI Opportunities Action Plan announced less than two weeks ago. The ideal ingredients and key criteria for communities looking to host AI Growth Zones include:

• sites with large existing power connections (with a current capacity of 500+ MW) or a clear vision on how energy capacity can be increased.
• deindustrialised areas with land and infrastructure standing ready for redevelopment.
• locations close to suitable sites for major energy infrastructure such as nuclear reactors, solar stations and wind farms, or battery storage.

This expression of interest also extends to AI data centre companies and energy firms who are looking to tap into the potential of AI Growth Zones to deliver on the government’s AI blueprint.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said:

It was great to be invited to visit 10 Downing Street last week to talk about the massive potential AI has to bring a huge leap forward in industries across our nation.

Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool has always been at the forefront of cutting-edge technology – from the friction match to the railways and the chemical industry.

My job above everything is to bring good, well-paid, long-term jobs to local people. We have everything we need to host an AI Growth Zone in our region. We have the land, we have the power and we have shown in our efforts at Teesworks how we can get huge projects moving forward at pace.

As part of these industry proposals, data centre developers and energy firms are being called on to set out: timelines and development milestones which detail how they will plan to ramp up energy capacity; partnership opportunities with local authorities and a plan for how their proposals will support the UK’s AI ambitions, as well as what additional support is needed from government to help drive forward their proposals.

Announcing its response to the AI Opportunities Action Plan, the government confirmed the first of these AI Growth Zones will be based in Culham, Oxfordshire – home of the UK’s Atomic Energy Authority. This site will also serve as a testing ground to drive forward research on how sustainable energy like fusion technology can power the UK’s AI ambitions. The creation of a new AI Energy Council chaired by the Science and Energy Secretaries will also help to ensure responsible energy sources are being used to drive forward the UK’s AI blueprint, directly supporting the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower.

The AI Opportunities Action Plan announced last month is also at the heart of the government’s Industrial Strategy and the first plank of the upcoming Digital and Technology Sector Plan, to be published in the coming months. Following the opening of the expression of interest, the government will open the formal selection process in the spring, with the first AI Growth Zones then due to be announced in the summer.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 4 February 2025.

Key specialists are being called upon to join a board advising the UK government in seizing the transformative potential of quantum technologies today.

Key specialists are being called upon to join a board advising the UK government in seizing the transformative potential of quantum technologies today (Tuesday 4 February).

An Expression of Interest (EOI) has now launched for new members to join DSIT’s Quantum Strategic Advisory Board (SAB).

The recruitment push comes as a UK delegation is set to fly the flag for British quantum at a global event in Paris celebrating quantum’s remarkable impact on the world in the past century.

With at least 160 companies active up and down the country, the UK is home to the second largest quantum sector globally, strongly supported by investment from the public and private sectors.

To raise awareness of how quantum innovations are improving our lives by driving growth, creating jobs and delivering breakthroughs in fields like healthcare, UK officials, led by the National Technology Advisor, will mark the start of the International Year of Quantum in Paris today.

The event, convened by UNESCO, marks 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics, and brings together the leading lights in the field from across the entire world to exchange ideas and showcase best practices in quantum science education, research and industry applications.

Quantum technologies harness the unique properties of subatomic particles to process information and solve pressing problems in a new way. New innovations in quantum, such as improved health diagnostics and future proofing cyber security to make our streets safe, will help drive the government’s Plan for Change.

To seize the potential of this technology and support the UK’s vision to be a leading quantum-enabled economy, DSIT is expanding and bolstering its Quantum Strategic Advisory Board.

UK Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

Joining the Quantum Advisory Board is a great opportunity for those who understand the potential of quantum best to help harness the benefits of quantum for the economy and society.

This government restates its commitment to quantum science and technology and the advice of the Board will be invaluable as we continue to play a key role in ensuring the UK maintains its leadership in this area.

UK National Technology Advisor, Dave Smith said:

It’s only right that in 2025 we are celebrating quantum’s transformative potential. From telecommunications to improved medical imaging, quantum science and technology has been central to the groundbreaking innovations of this century.

The future innovations that could emerge from this technology will help us to benefit from the enlightened combination of long-term partnership from academia, government and the private sector. They will benefit all of us in our daily lives and grow brilliant UK companies and create jobs.

Leading experts from academic and industry can apply to join the Board, chaired by Sir Peter Knight, and advise the UK government on quantum technologies, contributing to the implementation of the National Quantum Strategy.

As a critical technology that offers solutions in almost every sector, from healthcare to energy, quantum will form an important part of the government’s forthcoming industrial strategy.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 29 January 2025.

A landmark Scottish rocket launch is set to solidify the UK as a European leader in the space sector.

A landmark Scottish rocket launch is set to solidify the UK as a European leader in the space sector, following a £20 million government investment in UK launch company Orbex to build and launch a rocket from the shores of Scotland.

Tech Secretary Peter Kyle announced the investment today (29th January) at Brussels’ European Space Conference, positioning Britain as a leading international partner and cooperator in Europe’s access to space. The investment will help to fund Orbex’s rocket Prime, the first UK-manufactured and UK-launched orbital rocket.

Prime is set to take off from late 2025 at Scottish spaceport SaxaVord, one of two licensed vertical launch spaceports in Europe. It will catalyse the UK’s position as a leading small satellite manufacturer and global space leader, and support 140 highly paid jobs in the region as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

The investment will contribute to this government’s mission to grow the economy, boosting the UK’s ability to regularly launch rockets into orbit from its shores and attracting launch investment into the UK.

With European demand for satellites up to 2033 forecasted to be worth $50 billion, even 2% of this would bring around $1 billion in revenues for the UK economy alone.

Developing Britain’s launch capabilities is already helping to bring new jobs and economic benefits to communities and organisations across the UK. So far, the Prime project has created more than 140 highly skilled jobs in Forres, with many more anticipated as the company continues to grow.

The launch of Prime will also help to inspire a new generation of British space professionals. By showcasing the pivotal role of Britain in the space age, government is investing now to ensure a sector that is vibrant, innovative, and above all, successful in achieving our goal for the UK to become a leading European provider of small satellite launch.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

Britain’s impressive toolkit of scientific talent, world class facilities, and unique geography means we stand ready to lead the charge and to work together with our international partners as a key part of the new space revolution in Europe.

By investing £20 million in this rocket launch, we are not only helping the country to become a leading destination for small satellite launches in Europe but bringing highly skilled jobs and investment to communities and organisations across the UK, as part of our Plan for Change.

Supporting Orbex’s launch will also turbocharge the country’s position in the space sector and inspire our next generation of space professionals, who will be able to design, test, build and launch British rockets, carrying British satellites, from British soil.

Designed to launch satellites into orbit, Prime will benefit from the UK’s latitude, with Scotland’s geographical positioning providing easy access to valuable polar orbits.

The British-built Prime is also Europe-leading in its pioneering approach to sustainability.  It is poised to become the first in a new generation of ultra green launch systems, powered by renewable bio-propane fuel, which cuts carbon emissions significantly compared to other similarly sized rockets being developed elsewhere around the world.

The rocket is also designed to be re-useable. Upon returning to Earth, what does not burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere will be recovered and components will be refurbished and reused in future projects.

Britain is already a key player in the satellite industry, with Glasgow building more satellites than any other city in Europe.

Dr Paul Bate CEO UK Space Agency said:

Space is a fast-growing global industry and there is a real opportunity for the UK to play a greater role now than ever before. This new government investment is not just about launching a rocket, but building a more prosperous future for all, powered by space technology.

Orbex is a highly innovative company that can serve customers in the UK, Europe and beyond with its Prime launch vehicle, create hundreds of high skilled jobs in Scotland and inspire a new generation to reach for the stars. We will work closely with them as we countdown to launch, continue to develop our national space capabilities, and strengthen our international partnerships.

Scotland Office Minister, Kirsty McNeill, said:

It’s an exciting time for the Scottish space sector and this £20 million investment from the UK government in Orbex will help Scotland maintain our position as a leader as we look forward to the first satellite launch later this year.

This important industry is playing a vital role in our Plan for Change, helping economic growth and employing thousands of people in good quality jobs, often in small towns and rural communities, across the country.

Phillip Chambers, CEO of Orbex, said:

This first of a kind investment by the UK government demonstrates its confidence in the UK’s space rocket manufacturing and launch sector and is an exciting start to the opening of our Series D fundraising. We are entering the final preparations to deliver the most flexible and environmentally sustainable launch services to the global satellite industry.

This investment paves the way not only for us to launch our first rocket this year but also to develop a larger rocket to enable us to compete in the European Launcher Challenge. These development goals are crucial to our longer-term development.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 19 January 2025.

Public sector workers are being held back by archaic technology according to a new report set to be published on Tuesday.

• Public sector workers are being held back by archaic technology – crippling productivity and slashing public satisfaction in services, according to a new report set to be published on Tuesday.
• Inheritance from previous government shows an overreliance on contractors sending costs rocketing and how outages and cyber-attacks are putting NHS and public services in jeopardy.
• Comes ahead of ambitious reforms and new tech putting AI and digital technology to work for the public sector, delivering on the AI Opportunities Action Plan and saving taxpayers billions while improving public services to deliver across Plan for Change.
• New AI tools ‘Connect’ and ‘Scout’ also announced to help speed up clean power connections and keep mega-projects running to time, driving growth and lowering energy bills in the long term.

Taxpayer funded services from the NHS to local councils are missing out on £45 billion in productivity savings – more than enough to pay for every primary school in the UK for a full year – because they are too often dependent on old and outdated technology.

With nearly half of public services unable to be accessed online, people are spending too much time applying for support in person, including time on hold or travelling to council offices. Public sector workers are also wasting time sifting through physical letters. This means response times are unnecessarily long with British citizens paying the price and wasting valuable time on government admin.

Examples highlighted in a new report set to be published this Tuesday show the shocking state the previous government left public technology. It includes outdated examples including the need to register a death in person, which demands time from people unnecessarily as they are mourning the death of a loved and the pointless burdens placed on small businesses, like forcing firms to put an advert in their local paper when they want to buy a lorry – getting in the way of growth.

Some departments manage over 500 paper-based services and a lack of information sharing between departments further hampers citizens, often the most vulnerable. For example, patients with long term health conditions can be forces to speak to over 40 different services to access the care and support they need and are entitled to, with these different public bodies rarely sharing information, leaving people to repeat themselves time and again.

To tackle these issues, the Technology Secretary will use digital tools, AI and common sense to overhaul public sector technology – so it saves money, treats people with respect, and just makes sense. He will set out a wholesale reshaping of how services use technology, reaching across local government, the NHS, and more, in a bid to modernise the state.

The changes due to be announced could save taxpayers billions by making public services more productive, as well as freeing up public servants and doctors to spend more time helping the people they serve. The changes will also make it easier for people to access government services and drive economic growth by supporting businesses get the approvals they need more quickly – delivering on multiple aims of the Government’s Plan for Change.

Just over a week after the AI Opportunities Action Plan, the changes will deliver on key recommendations by transforming citizens’ experiences of government services, improving productivity and strengthening the foundations from how data is used, to boosting skills, and attracting talent.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

Technology that sits at the foundation of our country has been left to wither and decay under the hands of the previous government, too often grinding to a halt and stalling essential public services – racking up a huge bill for the taxpayer.

It doesn’t have to be this way – and it won’t be with our Plan for Change. There is a £45 billion jackpot for the public sector if we get technology adoption right, that’s twice the size of the black hole we faced when we took office, and it’s not an opportunity we can let pass us by.    The new findings are also expected to show government departments have been pushed towards bringing in contractors and consultants to complete basic technological tasks instead of full-time staff. This trend was driven by weak salaries and headcount restrictions that stopped departments. This is despite them costing three times more than civil servants and eating up £14.5 billion in taxpayer money a year.

Findings will show that over one-in-four digital systems used by central government were found to be outdated. In the worst cases, this figure almost tripled (70%). This outdated technology can rack up huge maintenance costs, ultimately resulting in the taxpayer paying out three-to-four times more than if the technology was kept up to date.

A growing number of these outdated systems are “red-rated” for reliability and security risk. The report found that NHS England alone saw 123 critical service outages last year, often meaning appointments are missed and patients can’t get the care they need because staff were forced back to using paper-based systems.

Among the reforms to be announced later this week, a new offering from an expanded Government Digital Service will search for vulnerabilities across the public sector that hackers could use to shut down essential services and stop citizens accessing critical support. Support will then help different organisations fix these issues and make the UK more resilient to cyber attacks.

Energy AI tool – ‘Connect’

The Government is also today unveiling new AI tools that will help to speed up the queue to connect clean energy projects to the national grid, helping to reduce energy bills and power the AI economy amid plans to boost the UK’s computing power to drive growth, as part of the Plan for Change.

Connect, developed by AI experts in Whitehall, is an AI tool under development that could help to reduce delays large-scale energy generation projects, like wind and solar farms, are facing to get a connection to the electricity grid. New sources of clean, renewable energy will not only protect billpayers from unstable fossil fuel markets, but boost the UK’s wider energy security ambitions – freeing us up from relying on foreign sources of power and breaking the energy monopoly which countries like Russia currently control.

The technology will also support the work of the newly announced AI Energy Council, bringing together energy producers and big tech companies to understand the power demands of AI and the Government’s ambition to expand compute capacity by twenty times.

Over the last five years, the grid connection queue has grown tenfold and now contains over four times the amount of energy generation the UK is predicted to need by 2050. Many of these projects are speculative or do not have the necessary funding or planning permission to progress, causing delays for viable projects behind them.

Added to this, the ‘first-come, first-served’ connection process, and much-needed upgrades to the grid’s capacity, are contributing to energy developers facing delays of up to 10 years to get new renewable electricity flowing into the grid.

With input from the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero, Ofgem and the National Energy System Operator, the team behind ‘Connect’ are exploring how this work – powered by AI – could be applied to better match energy generation projects – like ready-to-go large scale wind farm projects stuck in a queue – to grid capacity where it is available.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

This innovative use of AI could help us clean up the queue and slash waiting times to hook important energy projects up to the electricity grid, which is key to delivering our clean power by 2030 mission.

The sooner we can get more homegrown renewable energy onto the grid, the quicker we can deliver on our Plan for Change and homes and businesses can benefit from a new era of clean electricity.

Infrastructure AI tool – ‘Scout’

“Scout” is another tool developed by the team, which will help officials make sure major multi-billion-pound projects are delivered on time and to budget – whether that’s a new motorway or a mid-sized hospital. It does this by automatically analysing thousands of documents to help detect problems earlier, enabling timely interventions that keep critical projects on track.

The tool replaces manual processes where up to 150 reports and documents are reviewed, leading to crucial details being glossed over and opportunities to prevent problems missed. It will help civil servants to be more efficient, and improve the government’s ability to run multi-billion-pound projects to time and budget, fixing the foundations of our economy as we drive ahead in delivering economic growth.

In the tool’s analysis, it follows stringent guidelines set by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority,  and cuts manual processing time from hours in five minutes.

These tools are being announced following Matt Clifford’s AI Opportunity’s Action plan, where the Government accepted his recommendation to scale successful AI pilot projects within government. The wider plan looks to unleash AI to drive economic growth across the UK and deliver the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

Notes to editors:

• The State of Digital Government Report, with support from Bain & Company, is based on insights from over 500 leaders across 120 organisations, data from 100+ entities, and input from 65 stakeholders across public, private, and third sectors. It will be published next week in full.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 15 January 2025.

An average of £200 million in private sector investment has been funnelled into the UK’s world leading AI sector every day since last summer.

An average of £200 million in private sector investment has been funnelled into the UK’s world leading AI sector a day since the new government took office last summer – an average of more than £8.3 million every hour – fuelling the Plan for Change to fix the foundations of the economy.

More than £14 billion pounds worth of investment into the UK and thousands of new jobs have been confirmed in just 48 hours since the AI Opportunities Action Plan was published, as companies from around the world back Britain’s new blueprint to ensure it can fully realise the opportunities of artificial intelligence.

It follows £25 billion worth of new investment into the UK’s data centre infrastructure announced at the Global Investment Summit earlier this year, bringing the total to £39 billion in the last six months.

Cementing the UK’s position as the global destination for AI, a wave of global companies have put their weight behind the UK’s new vision for the technology which was unveiled by the Prime Minister and Technology Secretary on Monday.

In a move to bolster our AI infrastructure, American AI cloud-computing company CoreWeave has set to work using cutting edge NVIDIA technology to ramp up the UK’s compute capacity – a key pillar of the government’s new vision for AI. They are doing this at their Data Centre sites in Crawley and London Docklands – their first bases in the UK – rolling out a new compute platform by delivering state-of-the-art processors through its specialized cloud platform, purpose-built to provide highly performant and efficient infrastructure for AI workloads. This has opened up a new world of processing power to Britain’s innovators, and follows the company’s decision to base its European Headquarters in London and invest £1.75 billion into the UK in 2024.

Putting the right building blocks in place to help British companies scale up and become AI leaders is also central to the new blueprint set out by the government. Synthesia – a London based company which is the market leader in software for AI-generated video content – are the latest to be riding this wave of momentum with a successful funding round which has seen their value swell to $2.1 billion. This investment will support Synthesia’s growth and expansion ambitions, as it aims to become one of Britain’s most valuable AI companies.

Secretary of State for Science, Technology, and Innovation, Peter Kyle said:

This week we begin a new chapter – putting AI in the driving seat to power the government’s Plan for Change and deliver better lives for everyone in the country.

The steps we’re taking forward from Matt Clifford’s AI Opportunities Action Plan represent a step change in how the UK manages this technology – unlocking a fresh start for our economy and for working people.

By attracting more than £14 billion in new investment and thousands of fresh jobs since unveiling our new blueprint from companies across the globe, the message is clear – the UK’s pull as a magnet for AI innovation and growth will only go from strength to strength.

Supporting the government’s laser-focus of spreading the benefits of AI across the economy, Tech Nation – part of Founders Forum group – Merantix, and Onfido Founder Husayn Kassai, in partnership with Techspace, have also committed today to launching a new dedicated AI hub in London. The London AI Hub will serve as a new epicentre for collaboration and innovation based in Farringdon. Creating a vital focal point for AI innovators to come together and collaborate, companies are now set to move into the Hub from next month.

In an announcement earlier this week, one of our leading home-grown success stories Nscale also committed to delivering a $2.5 billion investment to support the UK’s data centre infrastructure over the next three years. Deepening their commitment even further, they have also put pen to paper on a contract to build the largest UK sovereign AI data centre in Loughton, Essex by 2026. The site is expected to be up and running in late 2026, unlocking more than 750 jobs during its construction and a further 250 permanent roles which will then drive forward its work – delivering new opportunities for people across the region.

Further support has also come from Vantage Data Centers, who are committed to continuing to expand their footprint in the UK, with a more than £12 billion funding commitment which will deliver 11,500 jobs across the UK and will meet the growing demand for cloud-based services and technology.

In a further jobs boost, French AI giant Mistral also unveiled plans last week to make the UK their home from home with a new office in London – its first European base outside France – with plans to double its UK workforce by the end of 2025. Kyndryl – the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider and a leading IT consultancy – has also announced plans to create up to 1,000 AI-related jobs in Liverpool over the next three years. This new tech hub will share the government’s ambition to roll AI out across the country to help grow the economy and foster the next generation of talent.

Setting out a plan to turbocharge AI on Monday (13 January), the Prime Minister committed to harnessing the technology to turbocharge growth and boost living standards to deliver on the government’s Plan for Change. Every lever of the state has now swung into action to deliver on the 50 proposals from AI entrepreneur Matt Clifford’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, with a singular focus on making the UK a magnet for firms looking to invest, scale, and grow their businesses.

The plan includes initiatives that will help make the UK the number one place for AI firms to invest, which is vital if Britain is to be at the forefront of this industry and be a change-maker rather than a change-taker.

Further Information

• The Vantage Data Centres anticipated investment, some of which is subject to planning permission and agreed connection timelines, is expected to support over 10,000 local construction jobs over the next decade, and create over 1,500 operational roles at its data centres.
• Read about the UK’s new blueprint for AI.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 14 January 2025.

Small businesses across the country will be helped to boost their productivity and efficiency through AI tools set to be trialled.

Small businesses across the country will be helped to boost their productivity and efficiency through AI tools set to be trialled – from tech that predicts potholes before they form, to AI models that help farmers make their dairy cows produce greater yields.

Announced today (Tuesday 14 January), the 120 projects will receive a share of £7 million in UK Government funding, enabling them to test AI tech that could give a boost to a whole range of businesses: from agriculture, to transport, to construction and more.

AI is set to be the defining technology of the 21st Century. It is already boosting businesses’ productivity and overhauling public services like healthcare and education.  The government is taking action to help Britain’s businesses and job-creators embrace AI, so they can be more productive, competitive, and deliver the growth the UK needs to improve public services and put more cash in hardworking people’s pockets as part of the PM’s Plan for Change. As Europe’s number one destination for AI businesses, the UK is already well-positioned to seize this opportunity.

The support announced today is focused on how AI could help smaller companies tackle pressing challenges to their businesses, and how researchers can use this tech to take on everyday problems we all live with.

This backing is what the Government’s Plan for Change looks like in action, giving people the tools they need to harness the power of new technologies like AI, which will ultimately grow the economy and benefit everyone. Other projects include:

• Using AI to cut food waste – and thereby protect profit margins – at a bakery by accurately predicting sales and forecasting how much of each product needs to be made daily.
• Road-testing an AI tool that can predict potholes before they form, so roads can be repaired earlier and more cheaply, and before they cause expensive damage to vehicles.
• Trialling an AI model that anticipates where mould is likely to grow in buildings, so they can be remediated before they become a health and safety issue.

Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

Putting AI to work right across the economy can help businesses cut waste, move faster and be more productive.

The huge range of projects receiving funding today, from farmers and bakers to those tackling potholes on our roads and mould in residential properties, demonstrates the truly limitless benefits of AI that are there for the taking.

And take them we will, with our 50-point AI Opportunities Plan, published yesterday, to unleash AI across the UK, delivering a decade of national renewal and firing up our Plan for Change.

The funding forms part of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Technology Missions Fund, with the support being delivered by the Innovate UK BridgeAI programme.

This announcement builds on the AI Opportunities Action Plan published yesterday, which sets out the Government’s ambitious vision to ramp up the adoption of AI right across the economy. The Plan is a roadmap to spread AI adoption across every part of the UK, help boost living standards, create jobs and unleash economic growth. The difference AI is set to make to all walks of life is further underlined by this week’s announcement of £1 million funding to develop bespoke AI tools to support teachers and transform education – with almost half of teachers across the country already using AI to help with their work.

As the projects today’s funding will support show – from tech to help strawberry farmers protect their yields, to tools to help town planners predict their area’s future transport needs – AI could make a positive impact in every field of work in the UK, and will be critical to kickstarting the growth the country needs. On top of the monetary support, the BridgeAI programme supports businesses by allowing them to tap into training and scientific expertise, as well as offering wider expert advice and guidance to develop their AI innovations.

Dr Kedar Pandya, UKRI Technology Missions Fund Senior Responsible Owner and Executive Director of Cross-Council programme at UKRI’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, said:

Today’s investment, funded through UKRI’s Technology Missions Fund, is a major boost to the BridgeAI’s target sectors where the adoption of AI technologies could help to improve productivity and efficiency.

UKRI is in a unique position to bring together businesses and research organisations across a wide range of sectors to discover where AI can make the most difference to people’s lives and the UK economy.

Esra Kasapoglu, Director of AI & Data Economy at UKRI-Innovate UK said:

The adoption of AI in UK industry is fundamental to supporting the country’s economic growth.  Today’s investment will enable us, through BridgeAI, to help more companies to unlock the potential of AI in their business.

It will also allow further development of projects already demonstrating impact to continue their AI journey.