Science & Tech · AI · 1 day ago
Turing Institute head urges UK to build its own AI systems
The head of the Alan Turing Institute says the UK should build more of its own AI systems.
Foreign systems could become unavailable because of political or business decisions.
That could affect important services such as healthcare, defence and infrastructure.
Developing domestic AI could give the UK more control and make those services more resilient.
George Williamson, head of the Alan Turing Institute, says the UK should develop its own AI systems to avoid relying on foreign technology that could be restricted or switched off.
He says national resilience should be a focus of the institute’s work as AI becomes more embedded in critical services.
Williamson points to risks involving defence, national security, critical infrastructure and healthcare.
He says the institute can also support public-good uses of AI, including weather forecasting, farming and identifying disinformation.
The institute is under new leadership after the government, its main source of funding, demanded a strategic shift.
- Who
- George Williamson, head of the Alan Turing Institute.
- What
- He says the UK should develop its own AI systems and strengthen its position in the technology.
- When
- The article was published on 10 October 2026.
- Where
- The UK.
- Why
- To reduce dependence on foreign AI that could be restricted or switched off, and strengthen national resilience.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
As AI becomes more embedded in critical services, in domains like defence, national security, critical infrastructure and healthcare we shouldn’t depend solely on systems we can’t inspect or control, or that could be restricted or even switched off.
There’s a set of circumstances where it would be a good idea for us to have something that we don’t have to ask other people’s permission to use.
It’s a moment when national resilience is definitely what the country needs and it’s definitely a thing I think the Turing institute can help with.
We are facing a more adversarial world, more frequent shocks to our critical infrastructure and now powerful AI amplifying these threats.
Washington temporarily blocked the release outside the US of Anthropic’s latest models.
UK prime minister Andy Burnham announced a new national centre to tackle state-backed disinformation.
Christine Lagarde and Ursula von der Leyen urged Europe to become more self-sufficient in AI.
The Guardian published Williamson’s call for the UK to build its own AI systems.
- Institute
- Alan Turing Institute
- Institute head
- George Williamson
- Article publication
- 10 October 2026
- Government funding
- The government is the institute’s main source of funding
- AI risks cited
- Defence, national security, critical infrastructure and healthcare
Sources
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