Does the Action Plan Deliver?

Summary of the key points discussed in the Webinar.

Positive Reception of the Action Plan

• The speakers appreciated the ambitious tone of the plan and recognised it as a strong signal of intent from the Government. It was described as bold and comprehensive and the panel discussed the importance of speed. However, they felt it was more of a starting point than a comprehensive roadmap.

Need for Detail Around Implementation

• The attendees highlighted that the plan lacked sufficient detail, particularly in how its ambitious goals would be achieved. While it sets a direction, they noted the absence of a clear implementation timeline targets or sufficient funding commitments.

Focus on Skills Development

• The action plan mentioned the importance of skills, but the speakers felt it did not provide enough actionable steps to address the digital divide, public AI literacy or the need to upskill the workforce comprehensively. In particular, the panel felt that the definition of the ‘AI Sector’ was too narrow and that this resulted in an exclusive focus on technical skills, rather than everyday AI literacy that is required to increase productivity.

Public Engagement and Trust

• The attendees agreed that public engagement was underemphasised in the plan. They highlighted the need for greater efforts to demystify AI for the general public and address fears, misinformation and scepticism. The plan did not sufficiently emphasise showcasing real-world AI applications. Speakers felt that practical examples, especially in healthcare and fraud prevention, could build public trust and encourage adoption.

Role of Businesses

• While the action plan acknowledged the private sector’s role, the speakers felt it did not go far enough to outline how businesses would be supported to adopt AI or how industry-government collaboration would be structured.

Infrastructure and Energy Challenges

• The plan referenced infrastructure development but lacked clarity on addressing high energy costs. Sustainability was included in the action plan but was viewed as a secondary focus. The speakers believed there was little clarity on how AI strategies would align with net-zero goals or address ethical considerations. Speakers noted the critical importance of tackling these issues to attract investment and develop data centres.

Export and Economic Growth

• The plan did not sufficiently emphasise the need to capitalise on global AI markets, supporting UK businesses to take their (AI powered) services and products overseas. Speakers stressed the importance of creating export strategies to fund infrastructure and sustain long-term growth.

Creative and Media Industry Concerns

• Concerns around intellectual property were acknowledged in the plan (e.g. Recommendation 24 suggesting alignment with the EU) but not adequately addressed. Attendees felt the plan needed to engage more with creative industries to resolve these issues and provide reassurance.

Public Sector AI Adoption

• The action plan mentioned public sector AI adoption but lacked concrete steps or examples of how this would be achieved. Speakers emphasied the need for centralised leadership to procure, pilot and scale AI use in areas like healthcare and local government.

Universities and Knowledge Hubs

• The attendees felt the action plan underplayed the critical role of universities in driving AI innovation, reskilling and public engagement. They suggested a more explicit focus on fostering university-driven knowledge economies around ‘knowledge towns’.