Britain Seeks to Build a Homegrown OpenAI Rival, Become a World Leader in AI - Slashdot
Jan 13, 2025 - news.slashdot.org
The U.K. government, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, aims to establish a domestic competitor to OpenAI and significantly enhance the nation's computing infrastructure to position itself as a global leader in artificial intelligence. A key focus is on expanding data center capacity across the country to support the development of powerful AI models that depend on high-performance computing. The government has set a target to increase public sector computing capacity by twentyfold by 2030. To achieve this, several AI "growth zones" will be created with relaxed planning rules to facilitate new data center construction. Additionally, an "AI Energy Council" will be formed to explore renewable and low-carbon energy sources for these initiatives.
The U.K. also plans to leverage AI growth zones and a newly established National Data Library to connect public institutions, such as universities, to foster the development of "sovereign" AI models independent of Silicon Valley. This effort includes a consultation on regulating the use of copyrighted content for AI training. These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to enhance the country's AI capabilities and infrastructure, ensuring that the U.K. remains competitive in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence.
Key takeaways:
The U.K. aims to build a homegrown AI challenger and significantly expand its national computing infrastructure.
The government plans to increase public sector computing capacity in the U.K. by twentyfold by 2030.
AI "growth zones" will be established with relaxed planning rules to facilitate new data center creation.
An AI Energy Council will explore renewable and low-carbon energy sources for AI development.
