NPL to lead new Centre for AI Measurement in government-backed AI assurance drive

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is to lead a new Centre for AI Measurement following a £10.5 million investment from government.

Announced today, the centre forms a central pillar of the AI Assurance Innovation Fund and is designed to accelerate the development of practical tools that help organisations identify, assess and mitigate AI-related risks before they affect the economy or the public.

As increasingly capable AI systems are deployed across public services and industry, ministers and regulators have highlighted the growing need for scientifically robust approaches to AI assurance. The new centre will bring together research, testing and industry collaboration in a single national capability, providing technical expertise and support to businesses, startups and researchers developing assurance tools for real-world use.

The centre will also work to move trusted AI assurance tools into the market more quickly, supporting safe adoption while strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in AI testing, evaluation and security.

NPL, the UK’s National Metrology Institute, already plays a key role in building confidence in AI through initiatives such as its Life Cycle for Trustworthy and Safe Artificial Intelligence. It is also a founding partner of the AI Standards Hub, which focuses on shaping international standards for AI governance, measurement and assurance.

The new centre will convene stakeholders from across government, including the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the AI Security Institute, alongside regulators, industry leaders and international partners.

By embedding AI assurance in metrology – the science of measurement – the Centre for AI Measurement aims to give the UK a strategic advantage in the global AI landscape, positioning the country as a trusted hub for AI testing, evaluation and security.

Dr Peter Thompson CBE, chief executive of NPL, said the centre would strengthen the UK’s leadership in trustworthy AI. “As the UK’s National Metrology Institute, NPL will work with industry to develop and validate scientifically robust technical AI assurance capabilities, ensuring the centre becomes an independent national resource that supports economic growth, national security and the development of the UK’s AI ecosystem.”

AI minister Kanishka Narayan said trusted assurance tools were essential for the responsible deployment of AI. “Robust, trusted tools for assessing the safety and effectiveness of emerging AI systems are essential for businesses to deploy them with confidence. The centre delivers on that promise – uniting industry, start-ups and researchers to create new ways for organisations to identify and mitigate risks early, helping to accelerate safe AI adoption across the UK.”

Free AI training for 10 million workers

The news follows the announcement yesterday by the Government of a major expansion of its national AI skills programme, committing to provide free AI training to 10 million workers by 2030 as part of a government-industry partnership to prepare the workforce for the AI economy.

The initiative opens free training to every adult through a new national framework designed to build practical, job-ready AI skills at scale and strengthen the country’s long-term economic competitiveness.

As part of the programme, PwC UK has been appointed a delivery partner for the Government’s AI Skills Boost initiative, which aims to equip 7.5 million UK workers with AI capabilities by 2030. Central to this is the AI Skills Hub, designed by PwC UK in collaboration with Innovate UK, which provides free access to AI training for adults nationwide and offers participants the opportunity to earn a Government-backed virtual AI foundations badge.