Open Artificial Intelligence Service

Lord Ranger of Northwood Excerpts

Wednesday 3rd September 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ranger of Northwood (Con)]

My Lords, I refer the House to my registered interests and my interest in supporting AI businesses. The Government’s view on sovereign AI must be adjusted with the view that sovereign AI will be designed by the available data and the Government’s data. What is the Government’s view about how that data will be made accessible to private industry? Secondly, how are the Government proceeding on the AI growth zones, which will help different parts of the country significantly? When can we hear about that?

[Lord Vallance of Balham (Lab)]

The noble Lord is right: data is fundamental. People often think of this as being just about the algorithms, but you need the data, the algorithms, the hardware and the skills to come together. The National Data Library is being formed. The Health Data Research Service, which will get health data in the right place, is now advertising for the CEO and chair and is designed to bring together data in a much more accessible and usable way, ultimately for the benefit of patients and the NHS, in that instance. The short-listing on AI growth zones has taken place. We already know that one will be in Culham; the others will be announced shortly.