Tech giant Google has published a report on the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), naming it the “most profound” technological shift of our lifetime and stating that it has the potential to boost the UK’s economy by £400bn by 2030.
The report suggests that it could reverse the UK’s downturn in growth seen in recent years, and in fact enable an annual growth increase of 2.6%
Debbie Weinstein, VP and managing director for Google UK and Ireland, said: “The UK is home to world-leading academic institutions, an enviable startup ecosystem and millions of businesses, large and small, using digital to drive growth.
“This country has an enormous opportunity to continue its rich tradition of technology leadership. It’s a hub for innovation that Google has been proud to call a home for over 20 years.”
The dubbed ‘godfather of AI’, Geoffrey Hinton, recently left Google based on fears surrounding AI’s rapid progression.
What’s more, the report follows recent calls for increased regulation over the use of AI, with the European Parliament recently voting in favour of a bill to ban harmful uses of AI in all member states.
Other predictions in the report were that, though some jobs “will be lost”, more will be created through widespread adoption of the technology and that upskilling workers was key to ensuring the benefits of AI are unlocked in the UK.
Google has expressed support for AI regulation, but emphasised that it is important to ‘focu[s] on engaging with the ecosystem to ensure a future that will benefit all. From the government, to academics, entrepreneurs and businesses, we all need to work together to fully maximise the opportunity’.
