Starmer sets out new AI action plan to cement Britain’s global tech dominance

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has set out a comprehensive vision for the UK to become the world leader in artificial intelligence, pledging a distinctively British approach to regulation while unleashing the potential of artificial intelligence to revitalize the country’s sluggish economy.

Unveiling the government’s “AI Opportunities Action Plan”, Starmer pledged to break away from regulatory paths in the US and EU. Its goal is to create an environment that encourages innovation and investment, including creating dedicated AI growth zones to accelerate approvals for data centers and other key infrastructure.

Among the 50 policy recommendations are measures to expand the UK’s supercomputing capacity twenty-fold by 2030, as well as enabling public services to become more efficient through AI-led automation. The government hopes the focus on education and talent development will help transform everything from local councils discovering potholes to schools reducing bureaucracy, freeing people to deliver more “human-centred” services.

The Labor administration also announced that three technology companies had committed £14bn in AI-related investments, and pledged to create more than 13,000 new jobs. However, there are still criticisms. The Conservative Opposition has questioned Labour’s record on funding after canceling a previous supercomputer project, while Shadow Science Secretary Alan Mack accused the government of failing to provide sufficient resources to truly support the UK’s AI leadership ambitions.

In a nod to the risks of the technology, the plan includes a commitment to complete a review of the impact of artificial intelligence on intellectual property rights. Concerns remain about AI-driven misinformation, deepfake content and potential job losses, although Senior Minister Pat Macfadyen stressed the importance of viewing the technology’s potential in a positive light.

AI and HR business leaders welcomed the action plan. 4most’s Gordon Baggott hailed it as a “pivotal moment” for economic growth, while Haifa Mahdzini, senior technology policy and practice advisor at CIPD, the professional body for human resources and people development, said: “We welcome the government’s plans to boost the use of AI across public services in United Kingdom, which could bring significant productivity gains to the UK economy. Allowing AI to handle repetitive and administrative tasks could help workers deliver more humane public services if used well Artificial intelligence can enhance jobs to make them more satisfying for people.

“However, it will be important for employers to monitor how technology is used and manage risks. A CIPD survey of more than 1,500 people in January 2025 found that six in 10 respondents trust AI to inform important decisions at work, but not make them. This highlights Highlight the importance of human oversight when introducing this technology.