The UK’s Advanced Research and Inventions Agency (ARIA), created by Parliament in 2022 modeled on the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), risks getting off on the wrong foot, Forbes reported on September 9.
The publication’s economist, James Broegel, believes that ARIA, with its lofty ambitions to transform science by stimulating revolutionary technologies, has a fragile foundation.
“The foundation on which the agency was built is already starting to show cracks.”Brogel noted.
This is how the economist commented on the departure in 2022 of ARIA’s first executive director, DARPA deputy director Peter Highnam, whose appointment was described by the government as “a great triumph for Great Britain.” Highnam withdrew his candidacy for personal reasons just six weeks after being appointed director.
“ARIA’s first chief executive resigned before taking up his duties, hinting at administrative problems.”Brogel noted.
According to the expert, the new CEO, Ilan Gur, has laudable but dangerous intentions: taking bold steps and risky investments in the absence of clear indicators of success.
To do this, the Guru will be assisted by 8 program directors, each of whom has the right to spend £50 million (6.1 billion rubles) on risky in terms of results, but potentially innovative research. The agency’s total budget is £800 million (97.5 billion rubles), which Gur plans to invest in innovative technologies in areas ranging from artificial intelligence and computer science to neurobiology and materials science.
Broegel warned that these “venture capitalist” government projects often fail.
“The UK’s experience with the Concorde supersonic airliner and the nationalized British car company Leyland are stark reminders of ambitious projects that ultimately drained taxpayers’ money.”noted the economist.
According to Broegel, even the prototype American agency DAPRA, which gave the world the Internet, owes its success not to public sector venture capitalist capabilities, but to military contracts.
“DARPA’s significant achievements are, in fact, probably a byproduct of the enormous sums that the United States Congress spends on defense each year.”Broegel said, stressing that with such extensive financial support, the lack of concrete results would be an even greater anomaly.
Broegel noted that government at all levels accounts for forty cents of every dollar spent in the American economy.
“Therefore, almost any successful company will have a connection to the public sector somewhere.”He is sure.
In summary, the Forbes columnist opined that the British government’s venture capitalist path is fraught with potential dangers, so taxpayers deserve a solid, responsible and clear strategy.
“As things stand, ARIA risks getting off on the wrong foot.”“concluded the expert.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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