Artificial intelligence

The UK is in an ideal place to win a chunk of the chip market

- John Browne

The UK is in a unique position to play a lucrative role in the coming era of artificial intelligence (AI) - but only if it also grabs the opportunity to start making millions of computer chips again.

AI requires vast numbers of chips and we could supply up to 5% of world demand, if we get our national act together. Our legacy in chip design is world-class, starting with the first general-purpose electronic computer, the first electronic memory, and the first parallel computer.

And now there is Cambridge-based Arm, a quiet titan designing over 90% of the chips powering phones and tablets globally.

With such a pedigree, it is not idle daydreaming for UK firms to win a significant chunk of the AI chip market; 5% is a conservative, achievable ambition. World-class universities, a thriving foundational AI company in DeepMind, and a robust ecosystem for innovation give the UK the practical tools it needs to compete.