UK Government Moves to Utilize National Data for AI Development
In an ambitious stride towards integrating advanced technology, the UK government is set to leverage publicly owned resources, including data from the National Archives and the Met Office, in artificial intelligence (AI) systems. This initiative aims to enhance the functionality of AI tools using national materials.
With funding provided for research purposes, there are plans to investigate how information from the Met Office might assist local government entities, such as determining the optimal time to purchase road grit. Another project focuses on whether legal information from the National Archives could serve as reliable support for small and medium-sized businesses navigating legal matters.
Additionally, the government intends to license content from prominent national institutions, including the National History Museum and the National Library of Scotland, for AI development.
Ian Murray, Minister for Digital Government and Data, characterized the National Archives initiative as a prime example of effectively utilizing public assets. He noted, “Whether you’re a café owner trying to navigate employment law or a shopkeeper dealing with health and safety standards, grappling with legal jargon takes time away from customer service.”
Murray emphasized that by making authoritative legal data from the National Archives ready for AI applications, small businesses could receive prompt and reliable answers to their inquiries. This would ultimately free up their time, allowing them to focus on growth and investing in their businesses.
Data forms the backbone of AI models, the technology behind tools like ChatGPT, and has sparked a contentious debate between the creative sectors in the UK and the government regarding proposed changes to copyright law. Ministers have faced backlash for suggesting that AI companies should be permitted to use copyrighted material without prior consent from artists, unless artists opt out. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced a forthcoming official review aimed at reassessing these plans.
Nonetheless, the government has clarified that utilizing nationally owned data is part of its broader strategy to promote AI deployment and development.
The government’s AI action plan, introduced last year, aims to create a national data library that would provide state-controlled data for researchers and companies. Keir Starmer indicated that the extensive health data managed by the NHS is a potential candidate for inclusion in this library. However, privacy, ethics, and data protection remain paramount considerations when assembling these datasets.
The action plan also includes the establishment of a cultural data library designed as a “commercial proposition.” This means the government would aim to generate revenue from “copyright-cleared” data sourced from organizations like the BBC, the British Library, the Natural History Museum, and the National Archives.
This Monday, the government will further advance these initiatives by detailing the data available through its “creative content exchange.” Launched in June, this exchange aims to provide a marketplace for the “buying, selling, licensing, and enabling access to digitized cultural and creative assets,” allowing for large-scale licensing.
Under a pilot scheme, researchers will look into how data from institutions such as the Imperial War Museums, the National Library of Scotland, the Natural History Museum, the National Archives, the University of Oxford, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the Science Museum Group, and the Victoria and Albert Museum can be made accessible.
The government has stated that this initiative will explore how digitized content can benefit consumers, technology firms, and AI developers, while also adhering to the rights of creators and copyright holders. A pilot platform is expected to be launched by summer.
