UK head of Alan Turing Institute urges domestic AI to avoid foreign dependence

George Williamson, head of the Alan Turing Institute, says the UK must not depend on foreign AI systems that can be switched off or restricted, and should build its own.

He cites the June US block on releasing Anthropic's latest models outside the US and the risk of losing access when needed. Williamson says the institute will focus on national resilience, including securing critical systems and countering AI-enabled threats.