Britain has set out around £600 million (about $800 million) of funding to defend against health and security threats from artificial intelligence. The package was announced on Saturday, October 24, and it puts biological safety at the centre of the country’s AI strategy.
A lab for AI era biological threats
The largest share of the money goes to a new biosecurity initiative. It includes £100 million for a laboratory that will use AI to detect biological threats, plus £65 million to develop countermeasures against pathogens.
The laboratory, called the AI Biosecurity Lab, is described by the government as the world’s first dedicated AI biosecurity organisation. It will operate as an independent, non-profit body and work with the UK Health Security Agency, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.
Its early work will focus on spotting emerging biological threats sooner and speeding up the discovery, development and testing of vaccines, treatments and other medical countermeasures. AI minister Kanishka Narayan said the aim was for the lab to become a major global institution.
bringing together world-leading scientific expertise to protect people from emerging biological threats
Industry puts up model credits
OpenAI and Anthropic will offer up to £200 million in model credits to the biosecurity initiative. OpenAI will provide £100 million in compute and model credits and trusted access to its most capable relevant models through its Rosalind Biodefense programme.
Anthropic will provide up to £100 million in model credits, trusted model access and dedicated technical support. Google DeepMind and London based AI life sciences startup Basecamp Research will also assist the lab through research collaborations.
Basecamp Research will provide access to its AI biology models, capabilities and technical expertise. Google DeepMind scientists will partner with the lab on research collaborations and look to provide trusted access to frontier Gemini and specialised science models.
Cyber defences and the wider package
The government will give its existing AI Security Institute an extra £120 million. A further £130 million will fund projects to strengthen cyber defences for critical infrastructure and the wider economy, through the National Cyber Shield and the National Exposure and Real-Time Vulnerability Centre.
A £60 million fund will invest in British companies using AI to advance robotics, autonomous systems and manufacturing. Another £60 million will support AI research and procurement contracts, and £23 million will go to research into the economic impact of AI.
The package also includes £18 million for a new chip design academy and £15 million for a prize for AI solutions to public policy problems, starting with healthcare. Regional mayors will receive £30 million to support local AI work, and the National Cyber Security Centre will get an unspecified sum to expand in Manchester.
