Prime Minister Keir Starmer has set out plans to use AI more in the UK with the AI Opportunities Action Plan. Dr Shweta Singh explains some of the plans advantages and disadvantages.

Dr Shweta Singh, Assistant Professor of Information Systems and Management at The University of Warwick says:

“The UK’s AI Opportunities Action Plan offers significant benefits, including enhanced efficiency in public services, the creation of AI Growth Zones, and improved healthcare through faster diagnoses. It also aims to position the UK as a global leader in AI innovation, potentially adding £47bn annually to the economy.

“However, this action plan faces several major challenges despite its promise. One significant issue is regional inequality; while growth zones aim to spread benefits, historically, tech innovation has often been concentrated in specific regions like London or the Southeast, leaving others behind. Additionally, the UK’s reliance on foreign-owned AI firms, such as Google-owned DeepMind, raises concerns about domestic innovation and intellectual property retention.

“Regulatory and ethical challenges also loom, as the government must balance innovation with safeguarding privacy, ensuring fair data use, and preventing misuse. For instance, the use of AI for monitoring roads or administrative tasks raises questions about surveillance, and misuse of AI based surveillance, for instance, The New York Times has already highlighted how facial recognition technologies disproportionately misidentify people of colour, resulting in wrongful arrests and false criminal accusations.

“Lastly, the skills gap in the UK’s workforce could hinder the adoption of AI technologies, requiring substantial investment in education and retraining programs to ensure widespread accessibility and equity.”