OpenAI, DeepMind, and Anthropic to give UK early access to AI models for safety research

London Tech Week 2023 is kicking off with some significant artificial intelligence announcements. The UK Prime Minister spoke at the launch of the event and announced that the government has invested record sums in AI regulations and the development of responsible AI. 

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Rishi Sunak, UK Prime Minister, posted on Twitter this morning that his AI Taskforce has £100 million at its disposal to fund AI safety, and that it’s working with DeepMind, OpenAI, and Anthropic to obtain “early or priority access to models for research and safety purposes.”

During the conference, Sunak explained “we must act — and act quickly — if we want not only to retain our position as one of the world’s tech capitals but to go even further, and make this the best country in the world to start, grow and invest in tech businesses.”

Britain and the European Union have already been hard at work in the development of stringent AI regulations, catching the attention of both sides of the discussion. Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, said during a recent stop in London that the company could exit the EU if it can’t comply with the regulations. He later walked back those comments. 

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The AI Taskforce will focus on foundational models, and it is presumed the ones from OpenAI, Anthropic, and DeepMind will become available for the UK government for research and safety purposes.

During his speech, Sunak stressed the importance of keeping AI development safe and responsible by bringing together the leading tech companies, academia, and the government.