What the UK Government’s AI Approach means for the future of Innovation

There probably isn’t a hotter topic in the technology world right now than Artificial Intelligence (AI). From the fascination around tools like ChatGPT taking over professional and personal conversations alike to the intriguing and ground-breaking impact that this ever-updating technology can have on sectors like Healthcare, Defense, Energy, and Finance, it’s the subject at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

Governments are not immune to this, and in the UK last month, a first-of-its-kind whitepaper was released around the role that AI will play in growth and innovation in the years to come. Recognizing the potential of AI to “drive economic growth and improve public services”, the government is investing to support the development of AI in the UK.

Through £4.7 billion in funding, the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund aims to support the development of new technologies and industries within the UK. Investment in digital pathology services underpinned by AI and the development of AI-powered robots for deployment in hazardous environments are just a couple of examples of where this support is already being deployed.

As a leader in the innovation space that has its headquarters in the UK, Wazoku welcomes this announcement. AI is a fundamental part of our platform that helps companies to deliver continuous improvement, digital transformation, and industry-leading change.

Governments backing the adoption and awareness of AI means that the cultural shift towards one of seeking out new solutions and opportunities for progress becomes more widespread. A change in behavior and approach to making progress is something that we regularly help our clients to implement as part of landing an innovation program.

As this becomes a more widespread capability throughout the talent market, there could be a shift towards innovation as a default mentality. This is further enhanced by the announcement of several measures which support the development of AI skills within the UK talent market.

One of the major concerns around the development of AI is ensuring that it doesn’t encroach on the workforce by making many jobs obsolete, or that it doesn’t reinforce the systematic biases that continue to blight society. In 2021, commitments were set out by the UK government which seek to ensure that there is a “transparent, fair, and accountable” process for developing AI.

It will obviously take time to establish whether these are effective, but similar commitments need to be taken by other governments and funding bodies. This will ensure that this potentially revolutionary technology doesn’t simply reinforce the inequality and prejudices that we all hope it moves us beyond.

This recent announcement by the UK government concerning AI is exciting. As the applications of AI continue to expand, the potential for positive societal change is almost limitless. Similarly, it puts change at the forefront of many business leaders’ minds. Only time will tell how ultimately successful these schemes prove to be, but this announcement nonetheless recognizes the importance of changing the world, one idea at a time.