OpenAI to store data on British soil for first time under Government deal

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI will be able to store data on British soil for the first time under a new Government deal aimed at bolstering security for businesses in the face of mounting global cyber threats.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy will set out plans to allow firms to hold information on “sovereign servers” run by the tech giant in a bid to both improve privacy and accountability and reinforce “national resilience.”

The Government hopes the agreement will help to unlock investment from companies by providing them with the confidence that their data is being managed securely in the UK.

The move is part of a wider rollout of the use of AI, which ministers believe can help revive Britain’s sluggish economic growth.

It comes after a wave of cyber attacks targeting major UK businesses over the past year, including Jaguar Land Rover and retailers such as Marks & Spencer and the Co-op.

Mr Lammy will separately announce that more than 1,000 probation officers will now be equipped with an in-house AI tool that records and transcribes conversations with offenders to cut administrative work.

Automating these tasks is expected to save up to 240,000 days of time and free up around 1,000 frontline staff, the Ministry of Justice said.

The MoJ tool – named Justice Transcribe – is one of the projects in the Prime Minister’s “AI exemplars” programme, which includes prime examples of how the Government wants to use the technology across the public sector.

Frontline staff are also using AI-powered transcription tools in the NHS to discharge patients more quickly as part of efforts to cut waiting lists.

Announcing the Government’s drive to make Britain an “AI superpower” earlier this year, Sir Keir Starmer insisted the public should be in “absolutely no doubt we will make sure that this technology is safe”.

He added: “When it comes to regulation, we will be pro-growth and pro-innovation.”

The Deputy Prime Minister, who is also Justice Secretary, said the ministry’s partnership with OpenAI “places Britain firmly in the driving seat of the global tech revolution”.

“We are leading the world in innovation by using AI to deliver fairness and opportunity for every corner of the United Kingdom,” he said.

“It’s this change that’s transforming the probation service and enabling us to be more human not less. By adopting AI, we’re cutting the burdensome admin and ensuring frontline staff can spend more of their time doing the things only humans can do – monitoring offenders and protecting the British public.”

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the number of people using the company’s products in the UK has increased fourfold in the past year, including through businesses and civil servants using ChatGPT for public service work.

“We’re proud to continue supporting the UK and the Government’s AI plan,” he said.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the Government is making sure the “infrastructure” is in place to power AI across Britain.

“This partnership with OpenAI is a step further in delivering that,” she said.

“By using AI across our public services we’re giving key workers like probation officers and NHS staff more time to focus on delivering better outcomes, reducing time spent on admin and speeding up vital services for people.”