Sixty years ago, celebrated science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke predicted an “absolutely fantastic” future shaped by computers, intelligent machines, and interconnected systems. Many of his predictions—like the internet and remote working—have come to fruition, although not exactly as he imagined. AI, though undeniably advanced, is not yet sentient.
Our government, quite rightly, believes that AI will turbo-charge growth and boost our standard of living. It has now set out its stall through its ambitious AI Action Plan, designed to “deliver a decade of national renewal”.
This includes investing in infrastructure, developing AI growth zones, investing in the UK’s sovereign capability and accelerating the use of AI in the public sector. The UK’s ambition is clear: to drive innovation, create an environment where businesses like ours can thrive and improve the lives of citizens.
As the CEO of Gerda Security Products, I am committed to playing my part in this revolution. I am personally fascinated by the boundless opportunities AI presents and firmly believe that it can be a real force for good.
The UK’s legacy of innovation provides fertile ground for the integration of AI into every facet of business and society. We see companies like LabGenius advancing drug discovery, Adarga supporting the UK’s defence and security and Yellow Sub AI blending quantum mechanics with machine learning to solve complex challenges. These breakthroughs illustrate the immense potential that exists when expertise, resources, and ambition converge.
The scale of this plan’s ambition is unprecedented. AI’s limitations are readily apparent. We’ve all encountered the frustration of a chatbot that fails to understand a simple request, or a social media feed stubbornly recommending content we have no interest in. These experiences highlight the ongoing development of AI. It’s still learning and evolving.
Big questions remain. Who bears responsibility for AI-driven decisions? How can we ensure AI benefits all of society? How do we mitigate potential economic disruptions caused by AI automation? What will it be like to live in a world increasingly reliant on AI? These questions all demand our attention, but grappling with these unanswered questions shouldn’t paralyse us.
The UK government’s AI Action Plan provides a much-needed blue-print to address those questions and, as it does, will keep the UK at AI’s leading edge. We can all learn from Clarke’s optimism and embrace the “absolutely fantastic” future that awaits us, within the guardrails of a supportive regulatory environment that places equal value on innovation and responsibility.
If the AI Action Plan can really deliver on its promises – in particular, for industry and investors – its guarantees of access to data and energy, its commitment to encouraging world class AI skills here in the UK, and its ambition to develop and sustain sovereign AI capability, then I, as a business leader, can commit to investing in AI with confidence.
I see the AI Opportunities Action Plan is a call to action for businesses, public servants and innovators. As Clarke aptly observed, “The future is endlessly fascinating because, try as we can, we will never outguess it.”
But we now have a once in a lifetime opportunity to shape the future, embrace change and build a culture that thrives on the power and transformative potential of AI.
Alastair Thompson is the Chief Executive Officer of the GSP Group of companies, including Gerda Security, a leading UK manufacturer of high specification fire safety doorsets and specialist in emergency access systems.
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