Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the competitiveness of the United Kingdom's AI research sector relative to that of the United States and China.

The UK has a thriving AI research ecosystem, with more than 5,800 AI companies, including global leaders like Isomorphic Labs, Arm and Wayve. These organisations are driving advances in scientific discovery and AI-enabled technologies. Reflecting this, the Global AI Index ranks the UK fourth in the world overall and fourth for AI research.

The AI for Science Strategy builds on UK strengths at the intersection of AI and public sector scientific research. Backed by up to £137 million, it sets out actions across data, compute, people and culture, and AI-driven science.

In June, DSIT and UKRI launched two UK AI Research Labs led by the University of Oxford and University College London, backed by up to £60 million. This gives the UK a strong stake in global efforts to shape the next generation of AI technologies.

International collaboration is a key part of strengthening our AI research sector. We will continue to work closely with bilateral and multilateral partners to expand opportunities for UK researchers and support cutting-edge AI research and innovation.