Minister demands overhaul of UK’s leading AI institute
The technology secretary has demanded an overhaul of the UK’s leading artificial intelligence institute in a wide-ranging letter that calls for a switch in focus to defence and national security, as well as leadership changes.Peter Kyle said it was clear further action was needed to ensure the government-backed Alan Turing Institute met its full potential.In a letter to ATI’s chair, seen by the Guardian, Kyle said the institute should be changed to prioritise defence, national security and “sovereign capabilities” – a reference to nation states being able to control their own AI technology.The call for new priorities implies a downgrading of ATI’s focus on health and the environment, which are two of three core subjects for the institute, alongside defence and security, under its “Turing 2.0” strategy.
“Moving forward, defence and national security projects should form a core of ATI’s activities, and relationships with the UK’s security, defence, and intelligence communities should be strengthened accordingly,” Kyle wrote.Making clear that the Turing 2.0 strategy did not meet government requirements, Kyle indicated that he expected leadership changes at ATI.“To realise this vision, it is imperative that the ATI’s leadership reflects the institute’s reformed focus,” he wrote in a letter first reported by Politico.“While we acknowledge the success of the current leadership in delivering reform at the institute during a difficult period, careful consideration should be given to the importance of an executive team who possesses a relevant background and sector knowledge to lead this transition.
”ATI is chaired by Doug Gurr, the former head of Amazon’s UK operations and interim chair of the UK’s competition watchdog.The institute is going through a restructuring under its chief executive, Jean Innes, which one in five staff have said puts ATI’s credibility in “serious jeopardy”.At the end of last year, ATI employed 440 staff, but it has since launched a redundancy process.Although the institute is nominally independent, it recently secured £100m from the government in a five-year funding deal.The letter said ATI’s “longer-term funding arrangement” could be reviewed next year.
The government would maintain its current level of research and development from national security and defence for the next three years, Kyle wrote, and would increase the number of defence and national security staff embedded in the institute.Dame Wendy Hall, a professor of computer science at the University of Southampton and the co-chair of a 2017 government AI review, said ATI would cease to be a national institute under the government’s proposed changes.“If the institute focuses on defence and security it ceases to be a national institute on AI,” Hall said.“It’s not broad enough.If the government wants an AI institute that does defence and security then it should just call it that.
”In February, the government indicated a focus on national security with its AI strategy by renaming its AI Safety Institute, established under the premiership of Rishi Sunak, the AI Security Institute.Sign up to TechScapeA weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our livesafter newsletter promotionKyle’s letter also referred to the government’s 50-point AI action plan as a “testament” to the UK’s AI ambitions, The plan’s targets include a 20-fold increase in the amount of AI computing power under public control by 2030, and embedding AI in the public sector.A spokesperson for ATI said the institute was focused on “high-impact missions” that support the UK including in defence and national security.“We share the government’s vision of AI transforming the UK for the better, welcome the recognition of our critical role, and will continue to work closely with the government to support its priorities and deliver science and innovation for the public good,” said the spokesperson.The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said the changes would be a “natural next step” for ATI following the safety institute renaming.
“These proposed changes would not only ensure the Alan Turing Institute delivers real value for money – it would see it taking on a key role in safeguarding our national security,” said the spokesperson.
The Guide #198: Finally, Superman meets his match
As comic book movies go, the Superman reboot is a biggie. It’s the first film from DC Studios, created by Warner Bros in 2022 in an attempt finally to rival Marvel. And it marks the start of the newly rebooted DC Universe, which has seen studio heads James Gunn and Peter Safran merrily culling storylines, cancelling projects, and recasting characters (to much online frothing).So why am I struggling to care? Is it the Russian-doll rebooting? Is it franchise fatigue? No, it’s Superman! The dullest hero of them all! Too good to be interesting, too strong to be truly fallible and definitely too Boy Scouty to be funny, I’ve always found him a less exciting prospect than other supers.But Gunn, who wrote and directed the film, seems to have a plan to make Superman less of a snooze
‘The army were on the streets – and we were bored’: Stiff Little Fingers on making Alternative Ulster
‘There wasn’t time to sit down and discuss politics and the future of the world, or your aims and aspirations. You just did stuff’I was approached by Gavin Martin, who ran a fanzine called Alternative Ulster. He wanted to put a flexi-disc on the cover and said: “Can we use Suspect Device?” That was going to be Still Little Fingers’ debut single so I told him he couldn’t have that, but I would write him a song.It’s the old adage – write about what you know. The opening line is: “There’s nothin’ for us in Belfast
From Jurassic World Rebirth to Kae Tempest: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead
Jurassic World RebirthOut now Forget Chris Pratt and the friendly velociraptors: this reboot of the dinofranchise returns to the premise that the beasties with the big sharp teeth are not to be trusted – and this time around we’ve got some mutant dinosaurs in the mix. Human stars include Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey.The ShroudsOut now The master of body horror is back – and a new David Cronenberg film is always cause for celebration. Now in his 80s, the Canadian auteur can always be relied upon to probe the deeper and darker parts of the human psyche, and his latest exploration of grief and dystopian technology, starring Vincent Cassel, is no exception.Jane Austen 250The Ultimate Picture Palace, Oxford; 6 July to 20 August It is 250 years since the birth of one of the greatest comic novelists of all time
Steve Coogan accuses Labour of paving way for Reform UK
Steve Coogan has accused Keir Starmer’s Labour government of a “derogation of all the principles they were supposed to represent” and said they were paving the way for the “racist clowns” of Reform UK.The actor, comedian and producer said the party he had long supported was now for people “inside the M25” and described the prime minister’s first year in power as underwhelming.“I knew before the election he was going to be disappointing. He hasn’t disappointed me in how disappointing he’s been,” he said.Coogan spoke to the Guardian ahead of an address to the annual Co-op Congress in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, where he called for locally led grassroots movements to assemble across Britain and take back control from “multinational institutions and billionaires”
My cultural awakening: a Marina Abramović show helped me to stop hating my abusive father
On an unseasonably warm day in October 2023, I arrived, ahead of the queues, at London’s Southbank Centre for a conceptual art takeover by the world-famous Marina Abramović Institute.I had recently read Marina’s memoir Walk Through Walls, which had resonated. So, when I’d seen the event advertised – hours-long performances by artists she’d invited, curated and introduced by Marina – I bought a £60 ticket and waited for my time slot to enter the Queen Elizabeth Hall. I hadn’t seen performance art before, and this was due to include her well-known work The Artist Is Present with an artist sitting, static and silent, in a chair all day, as Marina once did for an accumulated 736 hours and 30 minutes at the Museum of Modern Art. I felt certain that it would affect me, I just wasn’t sure how
Rodney Wilson obituary
My husband, Rodney Wilson, who has died aged 82, was a widely admired producer of innovative arts television programmes. His leadership as film officer at the Arts Council helped to expand and enhance the UK’s vital independent film industry of the 1970s and 80s.Trained in fine art at Camberwell in the 60s, Rodney taught painting and drawing at Loughborough College of Art, but seeing James Scott’s film Richard Hamilton in 1969 proved life-changing. After studying film at Hornsey College of Art in north London, in 1970 he joined the Arts Council and channelled funds to new film-makers with imaginative ideas, nurturing projects from initial treatment through filming (at locations from Transylvania to Pennsylvania) to final edit.Unafraid of controversy, Rodney supported the director Franco Rosso whose Arts Council-funded film, Dread Beat an’ Blood, about Linton Kwesi Johnson, was pulled by the BBC in the runup to the May 1979 general election owing to “unacceptable” political content
How to make the best veggie burgers | Kitchen aide
José Pizarro’s recipe for courgette and almond gazpacho
‘Deeply wrong’: would you use a barbecue to cook a full English breakfast?
Rukmini Iyer’s quick and easy recipe for lemongrass chicken lettuce wraps
Sophie Wyburd’s recipes for summer pesto pasta
‘It is not jus. It is not a glaze. It is gravy!’ Britain’s gift to the world finally gets the love it deserves