UK government unveils plans for AI-powered boost across trains, hospitals and more

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AI investment hopes to improve services and boost UK economy

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The UK government has announced an additional £32 million to be invested into companies developing artificial intelligence (AI) services designed to make job sites safer, decrease railway repair times, reduce emissions and improve prescription delivery efficiency.

The funding, which was announced today, will be used to boost 98 projects across the UK as the government seeks to improve services and kick-start the economy.

In total, the funding will benefit over 200 businesses and research organizations.

AI to boost business

Speaking on the investments, Al Feryal Clark, Minister for Digital Government said, “AI will deliver real change for working people across the UK – not only growing our economy but improving our public services. That’s why our support for initiatives like this will be so crucial – backing a range of projects which could reduce train delays, give us new ways of maintaining our vital infrastructure, and improve experiences for patients by making it easier to get their prescriptions to them.”

“We want technology to boost growth and deliver change right across the board, and I’m confident projects like these will help us realise that ambition,” Clark concluded.

Among the projects being funded is a safety training simulator for the construction sector being developed by V-Lab Ltd. The government has provided £165,006 to the organization to train workers more efficiently while developing their ability to adhere to and implement risk assessments and safety protocols.

To improve railway repair efficiency, an autonomous inspection and maintenance system is being developed by Hack Partners which can spot defects and schedule repairs, and hopefully improve rail services and reduce disruptions.

Logistics projects are also being funded to improve efficiency and reduce supply chain bottlenecks, with Robok Limited developing an AI system designed to improve productivity across warehouses and storage facilities. A full list of the funded projects can be found here.

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Benedict Collins
Benedict Collins
Staff Writer (Security)

Benedict has been writing about security issues for close to 5 years, at first covering geopolitics and international relations while at the University of Buckingham. During this time he studied BA Politics with Journalism, for which he received a second-class honours (upper division). Benedict then continued his studies at a postgraduate level and achieved a distinction in MA Security, Intelligence and Diplomacy. Benedict transitioned his security interests towards cybersecurity upon joining TechRadar Pro as a Staff Writer, focusing on state-sponsored threat actors, malware, social engineering, and national security. Benedict is also an expert on B2B security products, including firewalls, antivirus, endpoint security, and password management.