UK to invest £100m in 'world first' AI Biosecurity Lab

UK to invest £100m in AI Biosecurity Lab

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The UK government has announced plans to establish a national AI Biosecurity Lab (AIBL) to strengthen its defences against emerging biological threats, according to BBC News — Business. The lab will be established with the support of leading AI firms and will receive £100m in funding as part of the government's Budget. The full details about the role and remit of the new lab are yet to emerge.

The AI Biosecurity Lab will be a "major new global institution" that brings together "world-leading scientific expertise" to ensure the UK can safeguard its citizens and goals as AI develops, according to AI Minister Kanishka Narayan. The lab will be supported by leading AI developers, with OpenAI and Anthropic providing £200m worth of AI model credits that can be spent on the use of their models.

The Chancellor's plans to boost AI spending will also see an additional £120m committed to the UK's AI Security Institute (AISI). The government aims to strengthen its national security, rebuild Britain's industrial strength, and create good, skilled jobs across the country by backing British science, advanced chips, and its own AI companies.

The creation of the AI Biosecurity Lab is part of the government's distinctively British approach to AI, which aims to ensure the benefits of AI-enabled growth are felt right across the country, while defending national interest and not leaving workers behind.