The UK government on Tuesday announced plans to invest over £100 million in AI research and regulation.

The government said that the money would go towards supporting regulators and advancing research and innovation on AI, including through the creation of hubs in healthcare and chemical discovery.

Nearly £90 million will go towards launching nine new research hubs across the UK and a partnership with the US on responsible AI. The hubs will support British AI expertise in harnessing the technology across areas including healthcare, chemistry, and mathematics, the government said.

Some £10 million is announced to prepare and upskill regulators to address the risks and harness the opportunities of AI, with the fund helping regulators to develop research and practical tools to monitor and address risks and opportunities in their sectors.

Secretary of state for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Michelle Donelan said: “The UK’s innovative approach to AI regulation has made us a world leader in both AI safety and AI development.

“AI is moving fast, but we have shown that humans can move just as fast. By taking an agile, sector-specific approach, we have begun to grip the risks immediately, which in turn is paving the way for the UK to become one of the first countries in the world to reap the benefits of AI safely.”

Alongside this funding, the government also announced £2 million in funding for the Arts and Humanities Research Council to define what responsible AI looks like in education, policing and the creative industries,

The government will also be launching a steering committee in spring to support and guide the activities of a formal regulator coordination structure within government.

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