UK Halts £1.3bn Funding for Tech and AI Projects

The Labour government has decided to suspend £1.3bn in funding for technology and artificial intelligence projects, initially promised by the previous Conservative administration. This decision casts uncertainty over the UK's first next-generation supercomputer, which was to be developed at the University of Edinburgh, with £800 million allocated for an exascale supercomputer and £500 million for the AI Research Resource.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology explained that these commitments were not accounted for in the former government's spending plans. A spokesperson emphasised the need for "difficult and necessary spending decisions" to maintain economic stability.

While £300m for the AI Research Resource has been distributed and continues, the future of the Edinburgh supercomputer project, expected to perform one billion calculations per second, remains uncertain. The University of Edinburgh is seeking discussions with the government to resolve the issue, highlighting the project's significance for research in various fields.

The trade organisation techUK and experts like Dame Wendy Hall are urging the government to quickly develop new proposals and a comprehensive AI strategy. This is crucial as the UK seeks to stay competitive in the global technology landscape.