Rishi Sunak’s pledge to make Britain a “tech superpower” by 2030 does not include a plan to “turn rhetoric into reality”, a survey of companies across the country has found.
A lack of investment in new infrastructure in the UK means more than 350,000 businesses lack access to the right buildings and facilities to support the Prime Minister’s technology revolution, polling company Demos has found.
As a result, a third of companies say they are unsure whether the UK will be an attractive place to do business in ten years’ time unless the country builds the infrastructure to develop technologies such as artificial intelligence.
A report accompanying the study said: “We estimate that a lack of infrastructure means that more than 350,000 businesses, employing 3.8 million people and generating a combined turnover of £666 billion a year, lack access to the right buildings and objects. facilities for their companies.”
“At a time when the UK economy is struggling to achieve sustainable economic growth, policymakers cannot ignore this challenge.”
The survey of 500 UK companies found that building better industrial infrastructure was the most pressing need.
In March, Sunak announced the government’s plans to make the UK a “global science and technology superpower by 2030”.
The plan was initially backed by around £370 million in government funding to boost infrastructure, investment and skills for Britain’s growing technologies, from quantum and supercomputing to artificial intelligence.
Mr Sunak said at the time: “Innovative science and innovation have been in our DNA for decades. But in an increasingly competitive environment, only focus, determination and leadership can help us stay ahead.
“That’s why we’re outlining 10 key actions as part of a bold new plan to secure our place as a global science and technology superpower by 2030.”
However, the report calls for the government to create a new “super agency” to advise, plan and finance major infrastructure projects in the UK.
It is also argued that overall levels of private capital investment, such as plant and machinery, have stagnated in the UK since 2015.
“It was also highly inconsistent where these investments were made,” the report said.
The study argues that since the 2008 financial crisis, sectors such as transportation, storage and telecommunications have seen a decline in overall infrastructure, which “has hampered our ability to adopt new technologies.”
The experience of the Equinox data center group, which has about 250 data centers in 31 countries, was also cited.
As of 2022, Equinox has invested more than £1 billion in the UK’s digital infrastructure, but says the company “faces headwinds such as poor access to electricity, slow planning processes and regulatory ineffectiveness.”
According to the survey, companies are most concerned about the problems of China in the next decade, but less concerned about the problems of the European Union.
Both the United States and China have made significant investments in their infrastructure over the past year, with both countries launching major industrial infrastructure plans worth more than $1 trillion (£790 billion).
One respondent told the researchers that “we have no home in government.”
The respondent added: “If you discuss anything with the government you are pushed towards the DfT, but they only regulate the industry. “If you have a problem with food or drink they push you to Defra, and on trading issues they push you to traffic to HMRC.
Speaking at the Bletchley Park Artificial Intelligence Summit in November, Mr Sunak said: “The UK is once again at the forefront of this new technological frontier, starting this conversation in which we work together to make AI safe and realize all its benefits. ” for the future. future generations.”
However, the Demos report concluded: “The UK cannot risk falling behind again. If we want to unleash a superpower, we must overcome the obstacles to developing the industrial infrastructure we need.”
Source: I News
With a background in journalism and a passion for technology, I am an experienced writer and editor. As an author at 24 News Reporter, I specialize in writing about the latest news and developments within the tech industry. My work has been featured on various publications including Wired Magazine and Engadget.