UKAI and Dawn Capital Convene Leaders to Discuss the Future of Sovereign AI
UKAI and Dawn Capital brought together founders, investors, policymakers, technology leaders and innovators for an evening focused on one of the most important questions facing the UK’s AI ecosystem: how do we build, secure and fund sovereign AI capability?
Hosted at Dawn Capital's London offices, the event explored the growing importance of sovereign AI as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly central to economic growth, national security and public service delivery.
The evening opened with a panel discussion featuring James Milnes, Chris Kenna and Isvari Mohan, who examined what sovereign AI means in practice and the strategic choices facing the UK. The discussion covered topics including AI infrastructure, compute capacity, data access, cyber security, public procurement, investment, regulation and international collaboration.
Panellists considered the risks associated with overreliance on foreign-owned AI models, cloud platforms and infrastructure, as well as the opportunities for the UK to strengthen domestic capability across critical sectors such as healthcare, defence, public services and the wider economy.
A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the need to move beyond pilots and create the conditions for British AI companies to scale. The conversation highlighted the importance of coordinated action between government, investors, industry and academia, alongside procurement approaches that support trusted domestic innovation.
The event also marked the beginning of a broader programme of work for UKAI focused on sovereign AI. Discussions will continue through the newly established Sovereign AI Working Group, chaired by Lord Paul Drayson, bringing together experts from across industry, government and academia to develop practical recommendations for strengthening the UK's AI capabilities.
Following the panel, attendees continued the conversation over drinks and networking, with discussions ranging from infrastructure investment and compute capacity to talent, governance and international partnerships.
