Artificial Intelligence: National Security Implications

Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe Excerpts

Tuesday 16th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

The noble Lord is spot on to highlight this point. On the approach that the sovereign AI fund is taking, it is investing. We are also providing access to compute, and we are able to support visas. The Global Talent Taskforce is looking to support researchers and expert scientists from around the world to bring them to the UK.

[Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Lab)]

Is my noble friend the Minister aware of the growing desire for the UK to have an independent sovereign entity in this field? That is going to cost a great deal of money, of course. First, can she copy the letter that she is sending to the noble Lord on the Cross Benches to the whole House? Secondly, can she please update us on the questions we keep asking about the possibility of developing a new public/private partnership to fund such a venture?

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

I am very happy to make the letter regarding the suggestion from the Turing Institute and the noble Lord, Lord Tarassenko, available to all in the House. Our view is that the best way for the UK to build up strength, and hence sovereign strength, is not just about controlling AI models. It is about having leverage over key parts of the value chain by bringing those technologies here, supporting UK expertise and supporting people to come to the UK to build companies here, to stay and to scale. That is the approach we will take.