UK government sets out $800 million of AI security funding

The UK government announced $800 million in funding to enhance AI security.

UK government sets out $800 million of AI security funding

LONDON, Oct 24 : Britain's government set out around £600 million ($800 million)of funding on Saturday largely geared towards defending against health and security threats from artificial intelligence.

The biggest chunk of funding will go to a new biosecurity initiative, including £100 million for a laboratory using AI to detect biological threats and £65 million to develop countermeasures against pathogens.

AI minister Kanishka Narayan said the aim was for the AI Biosecurity Lab to become a major global institution "bringing together world-leading scientific expertise to protect people from emerging biological threats".

  • Tech companies OpenAI and Anthropic will offer up to £200 million of model credits to the biosecurity initiative
  • Google Deepmind and London-based AI life sciences startup Basecamp Research will offer other assistance
  • Britain's government will give its existing AI Security Institute an extra £120 million
  • £130 million will go towards new projects to improve cyber defences for critical infrastructure and the wider economy, known as the National Cyber Shield and the National Exposure and Real-Time Vulnerability Centre
  • £60 million will go towards a fund that will invest in British companies using AI to advance robotics, autonomous systems and manufacturing
  • £60 million will be used for AI research and procurement contracts
  • An extra £23 million will go to research on the economic impact of AI
  • £18 million will go to a new chip design academy
  • £15 million will fund a prize for AI solutions to public policy problems, initially focused on healthcare
  • £30 million will go to regional mayors to support local AI work
  • Britain's National Cyber Security Centre will receive an unspecified sum to expand in Manchester
  • Anthropic alone racked up more than $12 billion in operating expenses last year

($1 = 0.7472 pounds)

Source: CNA https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/uk-government-sets-out-800-million-ai-security-funding-6488176