The memorandum of understanding, which is voluntary and not legally binding, aims to “maintain a world-leading UK AI ecosystem rooted in democratic values,” the U.K.’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said in a Monday (July 21) press release.
The partnership includes exploring the deployment of AI to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of taxpayer-funded services, the development of AI technology in the U.K. and support of the country’s AI Growth Zones, according to the release.
The agreement marks a deepening of OpenAI’s commitment to the U.K., which included the company choosing the country for its first international office two years ago, the release said. In addition, the company’s ChatGPT large language model powers an AI assistant called Humphrey that is used by the U.K.’s civil service.
It comes at a time when the U.K. is investing up to 500 million pounds (about $675 million) in sovereign AI, per the release.
“This partnership will see more of [OpenAI’s] work taking place in the U.K., creating high-paid tech jobs, driving investment in infrastructure, and crucially giving our country agency over how this world-changing technology moves forward,” Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said in the release.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in the release: “Britain has a strong legacy of scientific leadership and its government was one of the first to recognize the potential of AI through its AI Opportunities Action Plan.”
The AI Opportunities Action Plan pledges to ramp up AI adoption across the U.K. through world class research, startup scale-up support, AI governance leadership and other actions, PYMNTS reported in February.
In November, the U.K. government announced that it was providing a platform to help businesses assess and mitigate the risks associated with AI as the technology’s use becomes more widespread.
The U.K. has taken a decidedly “pro-innovation” approach to the question of AI regulation, PYMNTS reported in February 2024. The government’s regulatory framework for AI is centered on the goal of transforming the U.K. into an “AI-enabled” nation, as well as a science and technology superpower, by the end of the decade.
