The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) will establish a Centre for AI Measurement, backed by £10.5m in public funding, to develop secure approaches to AI assurance.
AI assurance is the process of identifying and mitigating risks associated with the technology before they impact businesses or the public.
The new centre will serve as a working environment in which research is undertaken towards this ed, whilst also providing expertise and support for industry, startups and researchers developing relevant AI tools.
“The UK has world-class expertise in AI and through the creation of the Centre for AI Measurement, we aim to strengthen the UK’s leadership in developing and adopting secure and trustworthy AI,” said NPL chief executive Dr Peter Thompson.
“As the UK’s National Metrology Institute, NPL will work with industry and lead in developing and validating scientifically robust technical AI assurance capabilities, ensuring the centre becomes an independent national resource that supports development of the UK’s AI technical assurance capabilities, economic growth and national security.”
The centre will be established in line with the goals of the AI Assurance Innovation Fund from DSIT.
“Robust, trusted tools for assessing the safety and effectiveness of emerging AI systems are essential for businesses to deploy them with confidence. That’s why it is one of the key pillars of the AI Opportunities Action Plan,” said AI Minister Kanishka Narayan.
“The centre delivers on that promise – uniting industry, start-ups and researchers to create new ways for organisations to identify and mitigate risks early. In the long-term, this will help speed up the adoption of AI – keeping the UK in pole position for cutting-edge AI innovations.”
