UK Government Backs AI and Innovation

The Chancellor has set out a clear plan to back the technologies shaping the next era of growth, and to speed up how quickly they're adopted across the economy. The goal is ambitious: to make the UK the fastest adopter of AI in the G7.

Here are the headline measures:

• Growth Labs: New cross-economy "sandboxing" powers will let innovations be tested in live markets, with targeted, time-limited regulatory changes and close supervision. In practice, that could mean faster access to life-saving treatments by allowing controlled testing of new medicines.

  
  

• Sovereign AI Unit: A £500 million unit launches on 16 April to help the best UK AI firms scale up and stay here, with direct investment, hands-on support and access to the computing power they need.

  
  

• Quantum: Up to £2 billion is committed over the next decade to turn British quantum science into deployable technology. That includes over £1 billion in the next four years, and up to £1 billion to buy commercial-scale quantum computing capability in the UK beyond 2030.

  
  

• AI Adoption Summit: The first summit takes place in June during London Tech Week, bringing together CEOs and Industrial Strategy AI champions to accelerate adoption.

  
  

• AI Economics Institute: A new institute will work alongside the Future of Work Unit to understand how AI affects jobs and productivity, helping make sure workers are properly supported through the change.