Home » UK Business News » Rishi Sunak considers Songkick founder to chair government’s AI taskforce

Rishi Sunak considers Songkick founder to chair government’s AI taskforce

By Nagasunder in UK Business News, posted June 12, 2023

Rishi Sunak is looking to appoint Ian Hogarth, a technology entrepreneur and co-founder of music industry company Songkick, to lead a £100m government taskforce focused on advancing Britain's artificial intelligence capabilities.

Sources reveal Hogarth, now an investor in numerous startups, is a top candidate to chair the Foundation Models Taskforce (FMT), which was announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in April.

The FMT aims to accelerate the adoption of safe AI models, particularly in areas such as large language platforms, which have recently faced heightened scrutiny.

The FMT is expected to receive additional funding in the future and will be modeled after the successful COVID Vaccines Taskforce.

Its primary role will be strategically investing the significant multi-year funding allocated in the budget to enhance the UK's foundation models capabilities.

Sunak's recent discussion with US President Joe Biden focused on the opportunities and challenges presented by AI, leading to the announcement that the UK will host a global summit in the coming months to address regulatory concerns related to the technology.

Establishing the UK as a leading global hub for AI development and oversight is a key objective for the Prime Minister, who aims to demonstrate that post-Brexit Britain is an attractive destination for major tech investments.

At the time of the FMT's unveiling, Mr. Sunak said: "Harnessing the potential of AI provides enormous opportunities to grow our economy, create better-paid jobs, and build a better future through advances in healthcare and security.

"By investing in emerging technologies through our new expert taskforce, we can continue to lead the way in developing safe and trustworthy AI as part of shaping a more innovative UK economy."

In recent weeks, Sunak has met with executives from tech giants such as OpenAI and Alphabet, Google's parent company, to discuss the rapid adoption of AI across various sectors.

Last week, another entrepreneur, Matt Clifford, who chairs the government's Advanced Research and Innovation Agency, issued another warning about the technology said: "If we try and create artificial intelligence that is more intelligent than humans and we don't know how to control it, then that's going to create a potential for all sorts of risks now and in the future... it's right that it should be very high on the policymakers' agendas,"

While Hogarth's appointment as chair of the FMT has not been confirmed, sources suggest that it is expected to be finalized soon, potentially coinciding with London Tech Week.

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Hogarth, currently a visiting professor at the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose and a partner at venture capital firm Plural Platforms, has a strong background in entrepreneurship and previously orchestrated the sale of Songkick.

The government spokesperson confirmed that the recruitment process for the FMT chair is still ongoing.

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