- The UK government has set aside £7 million for AI projects
- 120 projects awarded funds to develop AI tools
- This hopes to increase productivity and efficiency for small businesses
As part of the UK government’s recently announced AI Opportunities Plan, £7 million has been allocated funding to AI projects across the country in a bid to “turbocharge” growth by encouraging the use of the technology. The 120 projects will receive part of the funding, which will enable them to test technology to increase productivity and efficiency.
An example given by the government for recipients of this funding includes an algorithm which can help bakeries predict sales, as well as help predict how much of each product to produce and therefore reduce food waste, although it is hard to imagine a successful bakery that does not already know how much it is likely to sell.
The government claims the move will help ‘unlock the era-defining potential of this technology’ to deliver growth and help boost small business productivity, making the UK more competitive and cementing the nation as Europe’s top destination for AI companies.
An ambitious plan
As part of the plan, an AI tool is also proposed to ‘predict potholes before they form’ so they can be repaired earlier and cheaper (though again, it’s hard to imagine a pothole being fixed before it is formed) as well as rather ambitious AI models to, ‘help farmers to get their dairy cows to give a higher yield.’
The news comes after the government recently canceled a £1.3bn AI investment plan and shelved tech projects such as a proposed £800m Exascale supercomputer, as well as £500m earmarked for investment in computing power for the AI Research Resource – so The 7m promised here pales in comparison.
Despite this, ministers are confident this will be transformative, with Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle commenting: “The huge range of projects receiving support today, from farmers and bakers to those tackling potholes on our roads and mold in residential properties, demonstrates the real limitless benefits of AI available.”
“And take them, with our 50-point AI Opportunity Plan published yesterday, we will unleash AI across the UK, deliver a decade of national renewal and kick-start our Plan for Change.”
