Britain does not need to go the way of the US or the EU on AI.

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FT editor Rula Khalaf picks her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.

The writer is the Prime Minister of England.

Artificial intelligence is the defining opportunity of our generation. It is not the technology that is coming. It has been changing lives materially. It prevents disease in our NHS. It is creating new companies in our economy. It is pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery in our universities. And this government is hungry for its plan to transform the country.

Take waiting times in the NHS. We use AI to quickly fill and reschedule appointments that patients can no longer make. Or take your children’s school. We’re expanding opportunities for teachers to use AI to personalize lessons specifically for your child’s needs. The possibilities are endless. AI can support small businesses with record keeping. It can detect holes more quickly. It will help speed up the planning of applications to rebuild Britain. It goes on and on. In the coming years, no aspect of our society will remain untouched.

Britain should be happy about that. For one, it offers a long-sought boost to public sector productivity. Nurses, social workers, teachers, police officers—for millions of frontline workers, AI can provide the precious gift of time. This means they can refocus on the caring and communication aspects of their work, which are often buried under bureaucracy. That’s the amazing irony of AI in the public sector. It provides an opportunity to make services feel more human.

Similarly, as the third largest AI market in the world, Britain is well positioned to take advantage of growth opportunities. A number of blue-chip AI companies call Britain home. Our universities are brimming with scientific talent. We have a thriving tech ecosystem with some of the best entrepreneurs on the planet. Ours AI The security infrastructure is truly world leading. And our values ​​of democracy, private enterprise and the rule of law are well suited to this challenge. Our values ​​are absolutely critical to enabling the free exchange of ideas needed to truly maximize the potential of AI.

However, we cannot just sit back and wait for the race to end. The race for global AI leadership is getting faster and faster. Some countries are going to make AI breakthroughs and send them to the world. Others are left to buy and import those finds. I don’t believe the government should be passive or neutral on this issue – it’s the industry’s bread and butter. Policy. AI is currently the biggest force of change in the world. I am determined to use the golden opportunity to reform the public service. And I am determined that the UK will be the best place to start and scale an AI business. I know that development in this area cannot be led by the government. But it is the government’s job to ensure that the right conditions are in place.

That’s why, in a matter of days, I’ve commissioned internet capitalist Matt Clifford to come up with a plan to harness AI’s limitless potential. Today, we plan that plan and present the results.

We will create new AI growth zones and breathe new life into old industrial sites across the country. Public sector computing – the engine of AI power – we will increase it by at least 20 times. We take the gold standard information access system, with the National Information Library, a transparent and honest copyright regime and a new commitment to open. The potential of NHS data innovation. And we’ll bulldoze through ridiculous restrictions in our planning system that prevent billions from investing in AI-powered data centers and grid connections.

Make no mistake – these changes are already paying off. On Monday alone, Vantage Data Centers confirmed it will invest more than £12 billion in new data centers across the country, including building one of Europe’s largest data centers in Wales. This should create 11,500 jobs in AI and construction. And it’s a sign of things to come.

Because Britain shouldn’t just be excited about AI – it should be confident. We don’t need to go the way of the US or the EU on AI regulation – we can go our own way by taking a uniquely British approach that challenges AI long before we regulate it so that everything we do is proportionate and grounded in science. And with that, an offering that will deliver the stability, practicality and goodwill investors expect from democratic British values.

Simply put, Look at Britain is our message to anyone working on the frontiers of AI. Our ambition is to be your best government partner anywhere in the world. We can see the future, we are running towards it and we support the builders. Because we know that AI is the ultimate force for change and national renewal.