GTIA
How the UK’s AI ambition is redefining channel opportunity The government has outlined its backing for realising the potential of AI in the UK, and the channel can play a major role in turning this into reality, as Hollie Whittles, vice chair, Global Technology Industry Association UK & Ireland Executive Council, explains.
Hollie Whittles
gtia.org
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reflected on progress one year on from the launch of the AI Opportunities Action Plan and sought to engage those businesses primed to lead on the next phase of its delivery.
The opportunities and potential of AI are firmly in the spotlight. Having attended an AI reception at Number 10 in February, it was clear to me that the government believes the channel has a major role to play in facilitating national ambitions for the UK to become a global leader in AI. At the event, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reflected on progress one year on from the launch of the AI Opportunities Action Plan and sought to engage those businesses primed to lead on the next phase of its delivery. While Britain is currently the third largest AI market globally, this Action Plan acknowledges that it risks falling behind without concerted action. Here, a spotlight was shone on the need to build infrastructure and computing
capability to ensure organisations across the UK can benefit from AI. The expectations on the public sector – and their private sector partners – were also in focus, such as the need to consider the legal, ethical, data protection, privacy, security and governance risks. Looking ahead, the PM hinted at the need for organisations to move away from fragmented AI experimentation and towards comprehensive strategies that support organisational goals with the right safety and governance guardrails in place. Four core opportunities for the channel It was evident from the rhetoric at the reception that technology firms are seen as the core vehicle of national AI
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