Andrew Burgess

Today, OpenAI and the British government signed a new agreement to harness AI’s transformative power to make government services more efficient, while fueling private-sector innovation across the UK. It’s another step forward in building a global system of democratic AI designed to put the technology into the hands of as many people as possible OpenAI CEO and co-founder Sam Altman signed the agreement remotely alongside Peter Kyle MP, the UK’s Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology. As Sam put it, “AI is a core technology for nation building that will transform economies and deliver growth” He’s exactly right. As part of this partnership, we’ll work with the UK government to bring AI’s benefits into everyday use—helping civil servants work more efficiently, supporting small businesses as they navigate public services, and sharing technical expertise to advance safe, responsible deployment This partnership will advance the core goal of the UK’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, which calls for making AI more accessible by accelerating infrastructure construction and expanding access to the data needed to train cutting‑edge models AI is already having a tangible impact in Britain. Developers, startups, established companies like Virgin Atlantic, and world‑class research institutions such as Oxford University use our technology to fuel innovation, increase productivity, and create new economic opportunities. The UK government is leading by example: A GOV.UK business chatbot helps thousands of small enterprises get clearer, faster answers on rules and support programs “Humphrey,” Whitehall’s AI assistant, lightens administrative load so officials can focus on higher‑value work The agreement also reflects our ongoing commitment to working with the UK to bring AI’s gains to more British citizens. OpenAI’s first international office opened in London in 2023, and we plan to further expand our UK presence later this year Our work in the UK and around the world is focused on ensuring that democratic AI—which puts the technology in the hands of as many people as possible so they can share in its productivity gains—wins out over  concentrated AI, which would keep the benefits limited to a few This week’s expected release of the Trump Administration’s AI Action Plan is likely to add further momentum to the growing effort to build a global system of democratic AI rails by proposing new ways of speeding AI infrastructure construction, modernizing the grid, and generating the energy needed to power advanced AI data centers This is how you build democratic AI—not in one leap, but step by step, putting the technology in more hands so people everywhere can solve hard problems and improve their lives. This agreement is a powerful step forward Read more about the new partnership here https://lnkd.in/gUyUq2uB

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The UK’s public sector - encompassing policing, the NHS, local councils and central government - could benefit massively from wider adoption of #GenerativeAI and #AgenticAI. 🌞 Large-scale trials across NHS England and the UK Civil Service have produced impressive productivity gains that are freeing up frontline workers to spend less time on mundane admin and more time on what they do best – helping people. 👥 As our head of public sector, Amanda Sleight, explains in this feature, the potential is enormous. 🚀 A more efficient, AI-enabled state will not only enable the government to fulfil its Plan for Change, but also deliver measurably better services to citizens. 👏 Read more here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dhvS8tXW #PublicSector #UKGov #Productivity #MicrosoftCopilot Jonathan Scott MBE

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More than 80,000 references to AI have aired on UK TV and radio this year. The majority of those discussions fuel alarm, not action. Be Broadcast’s Mission Control has published its latest white paper, showing how broadcast is shaping Britain’s understanding of AI sector by sector. The analysis spans: Everyday use: productivity, consumer tech, business and industry People and society: jobs, education, health, culture, media, politics, public services Innovation and discovery: science, research, breakthroughs Risks and responsibilities: scams, defence, regulation, climate, existential threats The full white paper is available now at: https://lnkd.in/eynBN_J7

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The UK Ministry of Defence just published their first Responsible AI Senior Officers' Report, and the findings mirror what we're seeing across every sector: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐈 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲. The MOD appointed Responsible AI Senior Officers (RAISOs) across 12 organisations. But the report makes clear these senior roles are just the start. Each RAISO needs dedicated support teams, local points of contact, and multidisciplinary expertise to function effectively. Their experience maps directly onto the four essential tracks for AI governance: ➜ Building organisational foundations: RAISOs are establishing governance structures, building AI inventories, and creating networks. The ad hoc approach worked initially, but now they need dedicated teams. ➜ Navigating laws and standards: JSP 936, their AI policy directive, has provided the impetus for internal policy updates across organisations. Good policy creates clarity that accelerates responsible adoption. ➜ Creating guardrails: They've embedded an AI ethics risk assessment toolkit into existing frameworks while facing what they describe as "the tri-fold task of recruiting external AI experts, training existing personnel to a high level, and upskilling the rest of the workforce." ➜ Operating with human oversight: They're building monitoring dashboards and launching Digital Skills for Defence, recognising that meaningful human control requires specific capabilities, training, and infrastructure. The report's conclusion on workforce is clear: "While there is a growing cadre of AI professionals in some areas, the most significant challenge identified across all RAISO statements is increasing the availability of suitably qualified and experienced personnel to support Defence's commitment to Responsible AI Adoption." What are the challenges and opportunities across these four tracks in your organisation? Download the skills map to see where your experience fits and plot your course to becoming an AI Governance Pro: 📥  https://lnkd.in/gHYeM4bM

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We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a sovereign UK AI Chip industry. The global market for AI chip products (accelerators, memories, fabrics etc) is growing at a staggering 30% per year -- and at this rate will be half the entire global semiconductor market by 2030. Just think of the economic growth potential if the UK could capture just 10% of the global market? We have deep AI talent in companies like DeepMind, OpenAI, ARM, and MSFT. And government commitment spawned by the AI Opportunities Plan and ARIA’s Scalable Compute program. What we need now is a BIG increase in the number of students studying electrical/electronic engineering and chip design.  Explore the detailed report here: [Building a Sovereign AI Chip Design Industry in the UK] https://lnkd.in/eTMxKN8c

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Brian Randell born in Cardiff, Wales occupies a rare space in the history of computing: he is both a builder and a chronicler of the field. A pioneer in dependable systems and fault tolerance, Randell has also been one of the most rigorous historians of computing, particularly the formative years of the discipline. His contributions stretch from the design of reliable computing systems to a foundational role in shaping our collective memory of early computer development. Randell studied mathematics and then computing at the University of Cambridge, before joining English Electric in the 1960s—one of the few companies in Britain seriously pursuing computer development at the time. It was there that he helped design the Whetstone ALGOL compiler and became deeply involved with compiler construction and system software. His work on ALGOL introduced him early to the intricacies of language design, parsing, and the challenges of writing robust and efficient software on constrained hardware. His most influential technical work, however, came after he joined Newcastle University, where he led groundbreaking research in fault-tolerant computing. At a time when most assumed that hardware and software failures were nuisances to be avoided, Randell treated them as central design considerations. He introduced recovery blocks and advocated systematic approaches to error detection and correction—laying a foundation that still informs high-reliability systems today, from avionics to distributed cloud architectures. Randell’s 1975 paper with Randell and Rushby, "Design Diversity and the Decomposition of Software Faults," was a landmark in the study of software reliability. He understood early that software engineering wasn’t just about producing functionality—it was about engineering for resilience in the face of the unpredictable. His work contributed directly to the birth of dependable computing as a subfield, influencing generations of researchers in distributed systems, redundancy, and formal verification. In the late 1970s, he turned his attention to documenting and interpreting the early history of computing, particularly the British contribution. His 1973 edited volume The Origins of Digital Computers: Selected Papers is still a core reference. Randell tirelessly tracked down primary sources, corresponded with pioneers like Turing’s colleagues at the NPL, and debunked myths—most notably about the early machines built in Bletchley Park and Manchester. He played a crucial role in bringing Alan Turing’s legacy to broader awareness and helped secure the recognition of Tommy Flowers and the Colossus team, whose wartime work had been long buried in secrecy. His historical writings are not nostalgic tributes—they are rigorous, source-based, and deeply analytical, reflecting a mind that understands both the technical and the human aspects of invention.

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