The government is showing support for businesses to ensure they can develop and deploy safe, trustworthy AI. This includes rolling out a new AI assurance platform, which the government describes as ‘a one-stop-shop’ for information on the actions firms can take to identify and mitigate the potential risks and harms posed by AI.
The support will focus on the growing demand for AI assurance tools and services, and will see government partnering with industry to develop a new roadmap, which it said will help navigate international standards on AI assurance.
“AI has incredible potential to improve our public services, boost productivity and rebuild our economy but, in order to take full advantage, we need to build trust in these systems which are increasingly part of our day to day lives,” said Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Peter Kyle, in a statement.
“The steps I’m announcing today will help to deliver exactly that – giving businesses the support and clarity they need to use AI safely and responsibly while also making the UK a true hub of AI assurance expertise.”
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The platform brings together guidance and practical resources which sets out steps such as how businesses can carry out impact assessments and evaluations, and reviewing data used in AI systems to check for bias, ensuring trust in AI as it’s used in day-to-day operations.
Further support will see businesses, particularly SMEs, able to use a self-assessment tool to implement responsible AI management practices in their organisations and make better decisions as they develop and use AI systems.
£6.53 billion AI assurance opportunity for UK
The announcement comes off the back of a new government report, Assuring a responsible future for AI, which found there are currently an estimated 524 firms supplying AI assurance goods and services in the UK, including 84 specialised AI assurance companies. Altogether, these companies are generating an estimated £1.01 billion and employ an estimated 12,572 employees, making the UK’s AI assurance market bigger relative to its economic activity than those in the US, Germany and France.
It also said that despite evidence that both demand and supply are currently below their potential, there are strong indications that the market is set to continue growing, with the potential to exceed £6.53 billion by 2035 if opportunities to drive future growth are realised.
