Prime minister Rishi Sunak has announced plans to invest £250 million in artificial intelligence and other “transformational technologies” as part of a new blueprint to guide Britain’s scientific ambitions.
Under the 10-point plan, announced on 6 March, funding will focus on AI, quantum computers and “engineering biology”, which is likely to focus on gene editing that could be used to create new drugs or genetically modified crops.
Described by Mr Sunak as a “bold new plan to cement our place as a global science and technology superpower by 2030”, the blueprint promises to provide up to £50 million to stimulate investment in science from the private sector and philanthropists, and an additional £50 million for the World Class Labs programme to help universities and research institutes to upgrade their facilities.
As part of £370 million in new science spending, an extra £10 million will be made available to support science start-ups, while £9 million will support the establishment of a quantum computing research centre in Daresbury, near Liverpool.
