The UK government will gain priority access to artificial intelligence (AI) models developed by OpenAI and Google DeepMind, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced during London Tech Week on Monday. The move comes as part of a broader effort by the UK government to become a global leader in AI. The government has committed £200 million to AI research and development over the next five years.
will allow the UK's Office for Artificial Intelligence (OAI) to use their cutting-edge AI systems, which includes OpenAI's GPT-4 and ChatGPT. The OAI was set up in 2018 as a joint unit between the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. It is in charge of coordinating the UK's national AI strategy and ensuring that the country stays at the forefront of AI innovation.
Politico reported that the OAI has been in talks with OpenAI and DeepMind for months to secure access to their models, which include GPT-4. This is a natural language processing system that can generate coherent texts on almost any topic. It forms part of the AI technology that powers Microsoft's Bing Chat and Copilot.
The deal will also provide access to DeepMind's MuZero, a reinforcement learning system that can master complex games without any prior knowledge. OAI intends to use the models for various public policy goals, such as improving public services, enhancing education and health outcomes, and tackling climate change. The OAI will also oversee the models for potential biases, risks and harms, and ensure that they comply with the UK's ethical and legal standards.
A Leading Example of AI Adoption
The deal between the OAI and the labs is seen as a mutually beneficial arrangement for both parties. The OAI will gain access to state-of-the-art AI tools that can help inform and improve its policy decisions. OpenAI and DeepMind will gain a trusted partner that can provide feedback and guidance on their models, as well as demonstrate their positive impact on society.
The agreement also reflects the UK's ambition to become a global leader in AI governance and innovation. The UK was one of the first countries to adopt a national AI strategy, which aims to boost the country's AI sector, foster public trust in AI, and promote international collaboration on AI standards and regulation.
The UK has also been active in engaging with other countries and organizations on AI issues, such as joining the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI), a multilateral initiative that seeks to ensure that AI is used in a responsible and human-centric manner.
