AI Sector Deal

Throughout history, there have been moments when the progress of technology has taken great steps forward, when a combination of the right tools, a capacity for innovation, and sparks of ingenuity lead to breakthroughs that transform how we live our lives. How we produce and process information is critical to innovation – and our methods of recording and communicating information have themselves undergone great leaps. From the development of writing, to Gutenberg's printing press – which advanced the spread of knowledge to the masses and ushered in the enlightenment and scientific revolution – to the first programmable digital computer Colossus, the cost of reproducing and communicating information, or data, has fallen again and again. At the same time, tools for processing and making sense of large quantities of data have developed exponentially – with artificial intelligence (AI) representing the latest leap. In the same way that Gutenberg's press ushered in a new era of growth, data-driven technologies such as AI will underpin our future prosperity. There is no doubt that machine learning and AI is already improving peoples' lives, from intelligent personal assistants that can prepare us for changes in the weather, to systems that protect our money from criminals, or devices that offer medical advice from the comfort of our own home. And this is only the start; the potential of AI is undeniable. Our next challenge will be to harness this technology to transform how we diagnose diseases, manufacture goods and build our homes. Using advanced algorithmic techniques such as'deep learning', AI has the potential to solve complex problems fast, and in so doing, free up time and raise productivity. But we also need to make sure AI benefits everyone in the UK, which is why – in addition to this Sector Deal – the government is establishing a Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation to advise on the ethical use of data, including for AI. The huge global opportunity AI presents is why the Industrial Strategy white paper identified AI and data as 1 of 4 Grand Challenges – in which the UK can lead the world for years to come.