The UK government is set to allocate £12 billion over the next four years to ten key sectors, with a significant focus on bolstering the creative industries, including AI and video games. This financial injection aims to stimulate growth and innovation within these areas. The initiative includes funding for research and development labs dedicated to visual effects, motion-capture technology, and AI, complemented by substantial industry investment.
Specifically, the government is expanding the UK Games Fund to support British game development and has established a UK Video Games Council to strengthen ties between the industry and government. This collaborative approach seeks to address skill gaps and drive economic growth across the UK's creative sectors. The broader plan includes targeted investments to generate new jobs and opportunities in film, TV, music, and advertising, extending beyond London to benefit six regions.
Furthermore, the government is investing over £2 billion in the UK's AI ecosystem, implementing recommendations from the AI Opportunities Action Plan. This includes allocating £1 billion to enhance Britain's sovereign compute capacity, available to researchers and startups through the AI Research Resource programme. The Sovereign AI Unit will receive up to £500 million to create AI Growth Zones in partnership with the British Business Bank.
