The U.K. government is in discussions with AMD, Intel and Nvidia about securing AI components to power a $127.6 million research project
According to reports, the U.K. government is in discussions with AMD, Intel and Nvidia about securing artificial intelligence (AI) components to power a £100 million ($127.6 million) research project to further the country’s standing in the booming AI space.
The government in April announced an initial phase of start-up funding for a taskforce responsible for accelerating the country’s AI capabilities, following a previous commitment of £900 million in new computing technology. While the U.K. government’s plans to use taxpayer money to support its AI ambitions reflect those of the governments in the U.S., China and elsewhere in Europe, an official briefed on the plans told the Guardian the £100 million in funds are relatively low compared to its rivals.
In May, for instance, the U.K. government said it will invest £1bn ($1.3 billion) over 10 years in semiconductor research, design and production, while the U.S. established the $52 billion Chips Act and the EU revealed subsidies of €43bn ($46.9 billion).
Currently, the U.K. only has a hold on 0.5% of global semiconductor sales, and analysts fear that the country may remain vulnerable as geopolitical tensions over AI technology continue to mount.
When first announcing the funds for the AI taskforce, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak commented that AI “provides enormous opportunities to grow our economy, create better-paid jobs, and build a better future through advances in healthcare and security.”
The Telegraph, which first broke the news, claimed that the U.K. is looking to potentially purchase 5,000 graphics processing units (GPUs) from Nvidia. GPU chips are necessary for running complex actions like those required by AI. The U.K. is hoping to use the GPUs to provide the foundation for a national research center.