- British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer opens London Tech Week 2026
- Starmer hails impact of AI, says UK is ‘on the precipice’ of something big
- But also calls on tech giants to do more to protect users
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has hailed the potential impact of AI as the technology continues to spread across the country.
Speaking at the opening of London Tech Week 2026, the Prime Minister praised the impact of artificial intelligence across the UK and looked forward to a “hopeful” future.
But he also warned tech giants to step up efforts to keep users safe and secure online and announced a new push to crack down on children sending and receiving explicit messages.
‘Hopeful’ AI future for UK
“When people look to the future, I don’t want them to see something they can endure or struggle with, but something they can be hopeful about,” the prime minister said.
Starmer outlined how the government refuses to bury its head in the sand or remove AI safeguards entirely, but instead takes a third way, “where we support the businesses, create the jobs and create the economy of the future, but never lose sight of who got us here.”
Starmer highlighted how a former soap factory in Warrington, which is now being converted into an AI data centre, as a shining example of the transformational potential technology can bring to the UK.
“There are stories like this across the country,” the Prime Minister said, “they all speak of the same opportunity, they give us a glimpse of a new revolution in technology – a revolution with the potential to transform lives, empower communities and create opportunity across the country.”
“This is a revolution that the UK is uniquely placed to lead,” he added, noting that with half of all European technology investment this year having been in the UK, “Britain has every reason to be confident that we are on the precipice of something truly extraordinary.”
But Starmer also had harsh words for tech giants, which he says have so far not done enough to crack down on areas such as sending nude photos.
Specifically, he called on technology companies operating in the United Kingdom to introduce device controls that would prevent children from sending and receiving explicit images.
“If they choose not to, then we will act and we will change the law,” he said, “when it comes to the safety of our children, failure is not an option.”
Starmer also noted how the pace of change in areas such as AI and the wider technology space should not be an excuse to harm vulnerable groups, saying the government will act “swiftly” and “firmly” when technology poses a threat to “our people, to our children”.
Starmer returned to the UK government’s battle with Grok, the AI platform from X, which was widely criticized for allowing users to create explicit AI images.
“We put them on,” Starmer declared, noting that this example should show other tech companies how the UK government will act if they fail to keep people safe.
Ending on a more hopeful note, Starmer announced a new AI job tool which will help users “find the right jobs, create their CVs and get back to work”, and also revealed a new strategy to develop supercomputer capabilities, including a commitment to buy over £400m worth of specialist AI chips.
“This government has made its choice,” he concluded, “we choose to take control of our future, we choose to be ambitious about what Britain can achieve and we choose to make AI work for our whole country.”
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds.
