UK launches £500m Sovereign AI fund as Kendall backs ‘British winners’ Tech The UK government has unveiled a £500m push to scale domestic AI firms, as ministers step up efforts to anchor the next wave of tech firms on home soil amid growing competition. Tech secretary Liz Kendall launched the new Sovereign AI Unit in London on Thursday, casting it as a central pillar of the UK’s [...]
UK trials teen social media bans ahead of potential crackdown Tech Hundreds of teenagers across the UK are set to take part in a government-backed trial of social media restrictions, as ministers weigh whether to introduce a nationwide ban for under-16s. The six-week pilot will see 300 teenagers aged between 13 and 17 split into four groups, testing different levels of access to apps such as [...]
AI minister defends billions amid ‘phantom funding’ scrutiny AI Britain’s multi billion-pound push to build sovereign AI capacity will inevitably include projects that are still taking shape rather than fully deployed capital, the UK’s AI minister told City AM, as scrutiny intensifies over the government’s headline investment figures. Kanishka Narayan, who was appointed as AI and online safety minister last September, said the scale [...]
Liz Kendall welcomes X’s Grok changes as Ofcom probe continues January 15, 2026 The government has welcomed new safety measures introduced by Elon Musk’s X to curb abuse linked to its Grok AI tool, as the UK’s online safety regulator presses ahead with a formal investigation into the platform. Tech secretary Liz Kendall said she “welcomed” X’s move to restrict Grok’s image generation capabilities, but stressed that regulators [...]
Exclusive: Liz Kendall bets £55bn to close UK innovation gap October 30, 2025 Britain’s new tech secretary, Liz Kendall, insists the government’s record £55bn R&D package marks a turning point for UK innovation, but with the country still lagging global rivals in key sectors, questions remain over whether even this scale of investment can close the gap. The funding, confirmed on Thursday by the Department for Science, Innovation [...]
Labour to use tech to ‘shock’ UK economy into growth October 27, 2025 The UK’s Labour government is positioning deregulation and AI adoption as two key levers used to address its inherited ‘growth emergency’. Peter Kyle, business secretary and former tech secretary, recently doubled down on this strategy, articulating the dire need for the UK to aggressively “innovate its way out” of a low-growth cycle. “I’ve never known [...]
Peter Kyle sets out tech growth plan as UK AI sector hits £2.9bn September 3, 2025 Technology secretary Peter Kyle has pitched the UK as a “global magnet” for innovation in his keynote speech at Mansion House on Wednesday evening. His pledge comes as investment in British AI companies hit record levels last year. Figures released alongside his address confirm that private investment in UK AI firms reached £2.9bn in 2024, [...]
Peter Kyle pushes AI regulation changes to support UK businesses September 3, 2025 Technology secretary Peter Kyle will use his speech at Mansion House tonight to urge UK regulators to adopt AI in a bid to cut approval times for businesses, as Britain seeks to keep pace in the global race for tech leadership. Kyle is set to pledge £2.7m in government funding to help regulators trial AI [...]
Government pledges to back UK fintech with regulation overhaul July 1, 2025 The government has pledged a regulation shakeup to support UK fintech as it seeks to slash the red tape blocking innovation. Speaking at City Week, technology secretary Peter Kyle said the government’s new Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) would develop new smart tools to make navigating regulatory procedures “faster, clearer and more accessible”. This will include [...]
Tech secretary Peter Kyle recycles old announcements at London Tech Week June 10, 2025 Technology secretary Peter Kyle addressed London Tech Week on Tuesday, reiterating Labour’s previously announced plans for the tech sector, adding only one AI drug discovery project. In a keynote that focused heavily on risk and innovation, Kyle said Labour was committed to “progressive change to build a modern economy and an opportunity society for Britain”. [...]