UK Government partners with Google on AI deal 

The UK Government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Google to secure priority access for UK scientists to cutting edge artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

As part of the deal, Google DeepMind, Google’s AI research lab, will also open its first automated research lab in the UK in 2026. The lab will be run by human researchers but utilise AI tools to conduct research on the development of cutting-edge superconductor materials which can carry electricity with zero resistance.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This partnership will make sure we harness developments in AI for public good so that everyone feels the benefits. That means using AI to tackle everyday challenges like cutting energy bills thanks to cheaper, greener energy and making our public services more efficient so that taxpayers’ money is spent on what matters most to people.”

The deal, which is not legally binding, will give UK scientists priority access to preexisting research tools provided by Google DeepMind, like DNA sequencing tool AlphaGenome.

The AlphaGenome system uses AI to sequence strands of DNA and spot potential weaknesses which could lead to disease. This can help scientists develop new theories and research proposals which could lead to vital discoveries in the field of genomic research. The Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) and Google DeepMind will work together to determine priority access to these tools.

Demis Hassabis, Google DeepMind co-founder and chief executive, said: “AI has incredible potential to drive a new era of scientific discovery and improve everyday life. We’re excited to deepen our collaboration with the UK government and build on the country’s rich heritage of innovation to advance science, strengthen security, and deliver tangible improvements for citizens.”

The agreement will also expand the partnership between Google DeepMind and the UK’s AI Security Institute (AISI). The AISI is an organisation backed by the UK Government that conducts research and testing to understand the capabilities and impacts of advanced AI models.

The AISI and Google DeepMind’s research will focus on subjects such as how AI systems interact with human wellbeing and AI’s impact on economic activity.  

In November, Sundar Pichai, who is the chief executive of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, told the BBC that users shouldn’t “blindly trust” everything AI systems say.

Google’s commercially-focused AI model Gemini has faced accuracy problems in the past, with early versions claiming that glue was an effective method to keep cheese on a slice of pizza. Since then, Google has invested heavily in the technology, pouring billions of dollars into developing the system, designed to compete with ChatGPT, the market leader in AI.  

Pichai said: “You have to learn to use these tools for what they are good at and not blindly trust everything they say. The information ecosystem infrastructure has to be much richer than just having AI technology being the sole product out there.”