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The Weekly

The Weekly #14

The Weekly #14
"We're going to make the breakthroughs, we're going to create the wealth, and we're going to make AI work for everyone in our country."

Kier Starmer, UK Prime Minister

Earlier this week, the UK Prime Minister, Kier Starmer, announced ambitious plans to turn the UK into an AI powerhouse. The Government is correctly realising that investing in AI and delivering its fantastic benefits is crucial to maintaining growth ambitions alongside our fellow G7 countries. That said, the UK is already a leading nation for AI; we have a long legacy in this area with pioneers like Alan Turing and research companies such as Deep Mind (now owned by Google, of course). However, with the pace of development in the AI industry, the Government is right not to sit back but take a far more involved approach to cementing the UK at the heart of AI.

In this week's newsletter:

  • Google continues to develop it's AI overviews
  • The UK establishes the AI Safety Institute
  • British start-up Synthesia is valued at $2.1 billion

Curated News

Google Expands its AI Overviews

Google is expanding its AI search engine tool, AI Overviews, to the UK and other countries. Despite initial challenges in the US, including inaccuracies, Google has worked to resolve these issues. The tool will now be available in multiple countries, offering support in local languages and enhancing user navigation.

UK AI's Safety Institute

The UK has established the AI Safety Institute (AISI) with £100 million in public funding to evaluate AI risks, marking it as the world's first government-led body for AI safety testing. The AISI has assessed various AI models, including Google's Gemini Ultra and OpenAI's o1, aiming to detect AI dangers early. However, results and actions from these tests often remain undisclosed due to security and intellectual property concerns.

Synthesia Valued at $2.1 billion

British AI start-up Synthesia reached a $2.1 billion valuation after raising $180 million in a recent funding round. The company specializes in creating realistic human faces and speech through AI technology, eliminating the need for traditional cameras, actors, or film studios. The investment will support product development and expansion into markets like Japan, Australia, Europe, and North America.

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