Britain unveils funding package to tackle AI risks

Britain announced more than 600 million pounds to manage AI risks and spread its benefits, with measures set to form part of the Chancellor’s Budget next week. The centrepiece is a 165 million pound National AI Biosecurity Initiative, including 100 million pounds for a lab to detect and track biological threats and 65 million pounds for bio surveillance and medical countermeasures. OpenAI and Anthropic will provide up to 200 million pounds in AI model credits, alongside partnerships with Google DeepMind and Basecamp Research.

The AI Security Institute will receive an extra 120 million pounds to test new AI systems. A 60 million pound National Cyber Shield will use agentic AI to strengthen national defences, while a 70 million pound National Exposure and Real-Time Vulnerability Centre will deploy AI tools to identify weaknesses across critical infrastructure. The measures address concerns that AI could enable biological harm and create new ways to exploit digital vulnerabilities.

Employment research will receive 10 million pounds a year, with an extra 23 million pounds over three years allocated to the AI Economics Institute. Chancellor John Healey said the government’s approach would not leave workers behind. Other support covers sovereign AI capabilities, chip design, regional development and local partnerships. Industry body techUK welcomed the package’s focus on adoption, trust, security and AI’s impact on jobs.