The UK government has announced a new program focused on artificial intelligence, backed by industry leaders Meta and Anthropic. This initiative aims to modernize public services across various sectors such as transport, national security, and employment support. With a significant investment of $1 million from Meta and facilitated through the Alan Turing Institute, the program enables top British AI researchers to participate in a year-long fellowship in government roles.
Through this fellowship, researchers will develop open-source tools intended to enhance the operations of public services. One key focus area involves creating computer vision models that can analyze images and videos. This technology is designed to assist local councils in prioritizing maintenance and repairs for transport infrastructure effectively.
Additionally, the project includes systems that can function offline or within secure networks. This capability is essential for defense and national security teams as they utilize advanced AI models while safeguarding sensitive data. Authorities emphasized the importance of this approach, particularly in high-risk environments where connectivity challenges exist and data exposure is a concern.
The UK is also advancing a partnership with Anthropic to create an AI assistant aimed at enhancing public services. The assistant will provide support specifically for jobseekers, offering tailored career guidance during their hiring processes. A pilot program of this assistant is expected to be launched later this year.
This fellowship cohort features specialists from various UK universities and research institutions who bring expertise in fields such as computer vision, reinforcement learning, robotics, and safety-critical AI systems. These experts will play a crucial role in transforming the landscape of public services through AI technologies.
This announcement follows the recent establishment of CustomerFirst, a newly formed team within the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology. This team is dedicated to addressing inefficiencies such as lengthy wait times, redundant paperwork, and outdated processes within public services.