The medical imaging community has started to give its verdict on the U.K. government's 26-page strategy document for AI that was unveiled on 13 January.
The wide-ranging document, AI Opportunities Action Plan, covers areas as diverse as social care, public sector efficiency, and the repair of potholes in roads. It also includes several items of relevance to the healthcare sector, according to a report posted by BBC News:
In July 2024, the new U.K. government tasked AI adviser and entrepreneur Matt Clifford with creating an action plan for supporting the growth of AI. He came back with 50 recommendations that are now being implemented.
- "AI growth zones" will be created in the U.K., starting with Culham in Oxfordshire, England. AI companies will be able to set up in one of these zones and benefit from faster planning processes. The aim is to make it easier to build data centers there.
- The government proposes a boost to U.K. infrastructure as part of the plan, with technology firms committing £14 billion (€16.7 billion) toward large data centers or tech hubs.
- A new supercomputer will be built to boost the U.K.'s computing power twentyfold by 2030. The previous government had already announced plans for a supercomputer in Edinburgh, but the current government ditched it when they took power, the BBC notes.
- A national data library will collect anonymized health data. Very little information is available yet about the kind of data that will be collected.
On the final point, the action plan proposes to open National Health Service (NHS) data archives to tech companies, granting access to scans, biodata, patient records, etc, Felix Beacher, PhD, lead analyst for AI in medical imaging at Signify Research, told AuntMinnieEurope.com on 13 January.
"This is important, because as we know, data is the soil from which AI systems grow, and among developers that is a frequently complained-about obstacle," he noted. "It is possible that there could be concerns raised about data security and the ethical use of health data, but I somehow doubt it -- public sensitivity, I suspect, is lessening over time."
Felix Beacher from market consulting firm Signify Research.
The new document emphasizes a "pro-innovation" regulatory approach, notably in healthcare, Beacher added. "Potentially this could mark a divergence from competitors based in the European Union, where the regulatory landscape is likely to remain more restrictive. It doesn't outline specific regulatory frameworks, and critics might raise concerns about under-regulation (bias, inequality, etc)."
In terms of spending, there is not much specific commitment, but the government seems to be thinking big, he continued. "The report states that AI adoption could grow the U.K. economy by an additional £400 billion by 2030. For now, the report outlines general approaches and goals. The lack of detailed spending commitments is consistent with past strategies."
Overall, Beacher thinks the plan is clear and well thought out. Medical AI remains a very important area to monitor, he said.
Angel Alberich-Bayarri, PhD, co-founder and CEO of Quibim in Valencia, Spain, commends the U.K. government for its action plan, particularly its focus on integrating AI within the NHS to drive healthcare innovation.
"The plan to responsibly harness the NHS's unparalleled health data repository, while ensuring strict control and privacy safeguards, represents a transformative opportunity to advance diagnostics, treatment planning, and chronic disease management," he pointed out. "By enabling quicker and more accurate diagnoses, such as detecting cancer and diagnosing rare diseases, AI has the potential to reduce waiting times, prevent costly complications, and free up clinicians to focus on patient care."
These advances can not only improve patient outcomes but also create significant financial savings and efficiency gains for the health system, contributing to a healthier, more productive society, Alberich-Bayarri said. "A focus on AI in the NHS saves money, enhances patient care, reduces waiting times, and will benefit society as a whole."
Funding and energy challenges
Some observers are sceptical about the government's ability to deliver on the action plan. Stephanie Hare, PhD, an AI specialist, told BBC News that the U.K.'s current minimal economic growth and the spiralling cost of borrowing made it hard to see how these new facilities would be funded. She also questioned how future energy needs would be met, warning that the U.K.'s energy grid was not "fit for purpose" and would struggle to meet the ambitious aspirations set out by the government.
Hare noted that the plan to build a supercomputer would require major funding, adding that "the U.K. does not have a supercomputer that features among the top 50 machines globally."
If the government wants to see more homegrown AI companies come to the forefront of the industry, the amounts of money involved will skyrocket. Challenging global power players like Open AI and Google DeepMind -- a U.K. company purchased by the Silicon Valley giant in 2014 -- will require eye-watering amounts of capital investment, according to the BBC article (bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c04nl711r0qo).
