Expert appointed to identify AI benefits

Science secretary Peter Kyle has appointed Tech entrepreneur and chair of Advanced Research And Invention Agency (ARIA), Matt Clifford to lead work to discover untapped AI opportunities.

Clifford will deliver a new AI Opportunities Action Plan to identify ways to accelerate the use of AI to improve people’s lives by making services better and developing new products.  

The plan will explore how to build a UK AI sector that can scale and compete on the global stage, and will also set out how to boost take up of the technology across all parts of the economy, and consider the necessary infrastructure, talent, and data access required to drive adoption by the public and private sectors.

Clifford is due to deliver a set of recommendations to the Science Secretary in September.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) will also 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.  

Science Secretary Peter Kyle said: "We’re putting AI at the heart of the government’s agenda to boost growth and improve our public services.  

"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.

"Together we will use AI to drive productivity and economic growth in every part of the country so we can make everyone better off."

Matt Clifford said: "AI presents us with so many opportunities to grow the economy and improve people’s lives. The UK is leading the way in many areas, but we can do even better.

"I’m excited to start work and develop an ambitious road map to identify the biggest opportunities and support the new government as it makes important choices about where to focus its efforts."