The British government said it has recruited a team of artificial intelligence specialists to develop AI tools aimed at improving transport systems, public safety, and national defence, using funding from Meta. The one-year program reflects Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s push to expand the U.K.’s AI capabilities while boosting productivity across public services.
The team includes researchers from universities and the Alan Turing Institute, with expertise spanning computer vision, applied machine learning for the public sector, robotics-driven imaging, and safety-critical AI systems. The government said the group will focus on building open-source tools that public bodies can operate without relying on commercial or closed-source platforms.
Officials said the tools will support infrastructure maintenance, public safety management, and national security decision-making. Meta, which announced funding for the initiative last year, said the project will use open-source models such as its Llama large language model. The government will retain ownership of the tools, allowing departments to keep sensitive data in-house and adapt systems as needed.
