The Prime Minister has unveiled the government’s AI Opportunity Action Plan in a bid to make Britain a world leader in the artificial intelligence sector.

Sir Keir Starmer’s will take forward all 50 recommendations made by tech entrepreneur Matt Clifford, who was commissioned by Science Secretary Peter Kyle to identify AI opportunities.

It will see the creation of AI “growth zones” to accelerate planning approvals for data centres, build a new supercomputer and - controversially - allow tech firms to train AI on anonymised health data. 

So far, £14 billion has been committed by tech firms and its forecast the new data centres will create 12,000 jobs - amid growing concerns about the march of AI on roles in many other sectors.

In a speech at UCL, Sir Keir claimed productivity could be doubled through using the technology in less than five years as Britain becomes as “AI superpower”.

The Standard podcast is joined by Dr Mark Kennedy, associate professor of strategy and organisational behaviour at Imperial College Business School.

In part two, The London Standard’s political editor Nicholas Cecil examines why the pound has fallen again as UK borrowing costs hit high - and what its means for the future of Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

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