AI POLICY
Your government data might help train ChatGPT
The UK government has announced a new partnership with OpenAI to explore how artificial intelligence could be used to improve public services like education, defence, and justice.
The deal might involve sharing government data and investing in AI infrastructure like data centres.
OpenAI also plans to expand its London office, which already has over 100 employees.
A few things to keep in mind:
This is not a binding deal, it’s a shared roadmap for future AI work.
The partnership could involve data sharing and new infrastructure, including data centres.
Critics say the government’s approach may favour big tech over public accountability.
Not a contract, just a “chill agreement”
It’s not a formal contract, more of a shared plan for future collaboration.
Ministers say AI could help civil servants spend less time on routine tasks and more time on the tricky stuff.
But privacy campaigners are raising flags, saying the agreement is vague, and warning that public data could end up being used to train commercial AI tools.
The UK has already made similar deals with other US AI firms, like Google and Anthropic, as it pushes to become a major player in the global AI race.
Still, concerns remain around transparency, data rights, and how AI models are trained.
The government’s new AI plan: give data, hope for growth, cross fingers.