The UK government has launched a new AI Opportunities Action plan to identify ways to accelerate the use of the technology to improve people’s lives through products and services.

Matt Clifford, a tech entrepreneur and chair of the Advanced Research and Intervention Agency (ARIA) has been appointed to deliver the plan. He will submit a set of recommendations to the science secretary in September.

The new plan will explore how the UK can build an AI sector which can scale and compete globally as well as investigate how to improve adoption of AI across all parts of the economy, taking into consideration data access and infrastructure.

The government said the action plan will play a “vital role” in improving productivity and economic growth. It quoted estimates from the IMF which said the UK could see productivity gains of up to 1.5 per cent annually.

Additionally, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) will establish an AI Opportunities Unit to bring together the knowledge and expertise to take full advantage of AI and implement recommendations from the action plan.

“We’re putting AI at the heart of the government’s agenda to boost growth and improve our public services,” said science secretary Peter Kyle. “Matt Clifford brings a wealth of experience and shares my ambition when it comes to realising the opportunities of AI, using it to drive growth and improve people’s lives.”

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