UK government sets out $800 million of AI security funding

UK Government Announces $800 Million for AI Security and Biosecurity Projects

Major Funding Initiatives to Strengthen AI Security and Biosecurity in the UK

LONDON, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Britain's government set out around £600 million ($800 million)of funding on Saturday largely geared towards defending against health and security threats from artificial intelligence.

Biosecurity Initiatives and AI Laboratory Funding

The biggest chunk of funding will go to a new biosecurity initiative, including £100 million for a laboratory using AI to detect biological threats and £65 million to develop countermeasures against pathogens.

AI minister Kanishka Narayan said the aim was for the AI Biosecurity Lab to become a major global institution "bringing together world-leading scientific expertise to protect people from emerging biological threats".

Private Sector Partnerships and Contributions

• Tech companies OpenAI and Anthropic will offer up to £200 million of model credits to the biosecurity initiative
• Google Deepmind and London-based AI life sciences startup Basecamp Research will offer other assistance

Government Investments in AI Security and Cyber Defence

• Britain's government will give its existing AI Security Institute an extra £120 million
• £130 million will go towards new projects to improve cyber defences for critical infrastructure and the wider economy, known as the National Cyber Shield and the National Exposure and Real-Time Vulnerability Centre

Support for AI Research, Robotics, and Economic Impact Studies

• £60 million will go towards a fund that will invest in British companies using AI to advance robotics, autonomous systems and manufacturing
• £60 million will be used for AI research and procurement contracts
• An extra £23 million will go to research on the economic impact of AI

Additional Investments and Regional Support

• £18 million will go to a new chip design academy
• £15 million will fund a prize for AI solutions to public policy problems, initially focused on healthcare
• £30 million will go to regional mayors to support local AI work
• Britain's National Cyber Security Centre will receive an unspecified sum to expand in Manchester

Industry Context and Financial Overview

• Anthropic alone racked up more than $12 billion in operating expenses last year

($1 = 0.7472 pounds)

(Reporting by David Milliken; editing by Alistair Smout)