Business Minister Richard Lochhead issued a response after Keir Starmer revealed plans for the UK to become an “AI superpower”,
On Monday it was announced that Starmer’s government is going to “take forward” all 50 recommendations made by tech entrepreneur Matt Clifford, who was commissioned by Science Secretary Peter Kyle in July to come up with a plan to identify AI opportunities.
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Among the proposals are greater use of the technology in the public sector to enable workers to spend less time doing administrative tasks and more time delivering services, as well as a series of AI “growth zones” to help speed up planning approvals for data centres and improve access to the energy grid.
While Lochhead welcomed some of the proposals in Starmer’s plan, he expressed concern over the apparent exclusion of Scotland from the project.
Richard Lochhead spoke of the ‘disappointing’ move “Artificial intelligence offers real opportunities to fuel economic growth, at the same time as being a force for good with innovation in, for example, our NHS,” be said.
“With our world-renowned talent for research, innovation and ingenuity, Scotland is perfectly placed to capitalise on AI’s rapid growth in a fair and transparent way. It can and must be at the heart of this globally-important industry.
“While it is welcome that the UK Government has set out steps to develop use of AI across the UK, there is a disappointing lack of acknowledgement of the expertise that Scottish academia and businesses are playing.
“I will ensure that our compelling story and cutting edge capabilities are heard loud and clear as the UK Government’s proposed investment zone initiative is developed. I have already invited the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology to meet Scotland’s AI community.”
The UK Government caused an upset with its tech policy not long after coming to power last summer, when plans to support an exascale supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh were shelved. Labour say the Tories failed to allocate any cash to the project.
The party has been warned that developing supercomputers in England after axing the pioneering project in Scotland would be a “betrayal”.
In its new plan, the UK Government is not just hoping to attract AI investment, but also spur the adoption of the technology across Whitehall in a bid to improve productivity and cut costs.
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Starmer has personally written to Cabinet ministers ordering them to make driving AI adoption and growth in their departments a top priority.
In addition, the Government will have to address the energy and water needs of the AI industry, with the technology requiring significant amounts of both to operate.
Under Monday’s plan, Kyle and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband will chair an AI Energy Council tasked with understanding the demands and challenges AI presents for energy companies.