UK scientists are at risk of being cut off “at a whim” from key technologies in space, artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing because the country lacks sovereign capabilities in these key research areas, MPs have warned.
Urging ministers to clarify how the UK will become less dependent on foreign companies and governments for access to important AI systems, a new report by the House of Commons’ science, innovation and technology select committee calls for the creation of an “over-arching plan” for tech sovereignty.
Although the previous Conservative government set out an “own-collaborate-access” framework for the UK’s approach to investing in specific critical science and research technologies, the current Labour administration has not referred to this framework in any of its publications, explains the report published on 7 July.
Neither does the UK have a list of countries with whom it would cooperate, with outgoing prime minister Keir Starmer stating that the publication of any list of technologies requiring UK investment would mean “telegraphing our specific vulnerabilities to hostile actors”.
However, the absence of a “coherent strategic framework” makes it difficult to understand the government’s approach to improving resilience in sovereign capabilities, continue the MPs, stating that the government is taking an “opportunistic approach” to international agreements in science and technology.
