UK Government Pledges £600M to Tackle AI-Related Public Health and Security Risks

The UK government announced on October 24, 2026, a package of approximately £600 million to address public health and security risks posed by artificial intelligence. The biosafety plan receives the largest share of funding, with £100 million allocated to establish an AI biosafety laboratory to identify biological threats and £65 million dedicated to developing measures to prevent and respond to pathogens.

Several AI companies are supporting the biosafety initiative. OpenAI and Anthropic will provide up to £200 million in AI model usage credits, while Google DeepMind and London-based AI life sciences startup Basecamp Research will also offer support. The UK AI Safety Institute will receive an additional £120 million in government funding.

In cybersecurity, £130 million will be invested in two new projects—the National Cyber Shield and the National Cyber Risk Exposure and Real-Time Vulnerability Centre—to strengthen protection for critical infrastructure and the broader economy. An additional £23 million will fund research into AI's economic impact, and £18 million will go toward establishing a new chip design academy.

Other measures include £60 million for an investment fund supporting UK businesses using AI to advance robotics, autonomous systems, and manufacturing; £60 million for AI research and procurement contracts; £15 million for awards encouraging the use of AI to solve public policy challenges, with an initial focus on healthcare; and £30 million distributed to regional mayors for local AI projects. The National Cyber Security Centre will also receive additional funding to expand its Manchester operations, though the amount has not yet been disclosed.