The UK government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Anthropic to explore how the company's Claude AI assistant could be used to improve access to public services.
According to a statement from government officials, the aim is to advance best practices for the responsible deployment of frontier AI capabilities across the public sector while fostering close cooperation between government and leading AI innovators.
The agreement comes amid the recasting of the UK’s AI Safety Institute as the UK AI Security Institute. The government said it will also look to sign further agreements with leading AI companies.
The collaboration with Anthropic will look at how AI can transform public services and improve the lives of citizens, as well as using the technology to drive new scientific research.
"AI has the potential to transform how governments serve their citizens. We look forward to exploring how Anthropic’s AI assistant Claude could help UK government agencies enhance public services, with the goal of discovering new ways to make vital information and services more efficient and accessible to UK residents," said Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of Anthropic.
"We will continue to work closely with the UK AI Security Institute to research and evaluate AI capabilities in order to ensure secure deployment."
Government eyes closer ties with Anthropic
The collaboration will also draw on Anthropic's recently-released Economic Index, which uses anonymized conversations on Claude.ai to understand AI's effects on labor markets and the economy over time. This will provide insights to help the UK adapt its workforce and innovation strategies for an AI-enabled future.
There are also plans for collaboration on securing the supply chain for advanced AI and the UK’s future infrastructure, while Anthropic said it will provide tools to support the UK’s startup community, universities, and other organizations.
In a statement, Anthropic said it will work closely with the new UK AISI, adding that it is committed to developing 'robust safeguards' and driving responsible and secure deployment.
Similarly, the government revealed it will prioritize responsiveness to public needs, privacy preservation, and building trust as core principles guiding the development and implementation of its AI-enabled solutions.
The AI Security Institute, however, will now have less of an emphasis on privacy issues.
RELATED WHITEPAPER
Instead, it will concentrate on serious AI risks with security implications, such as how the technology can be used to develop chemical and biological weapons, along with how it can be used to carry out cyber attacks and enable crimes such as fraud and child sexual abuse.
"The changes I’m announcing today represent the logical next step in how we approach responsible AI development – helping us to unleash AI and grow the economy as part of our Plan for Change," said secretary of state for science, innovation, and technology Peter Kyle.
"The work of the AI Security Institute won’t change, but this renewed focus will ensure our citizens – and those of our allies - are protected from those who would look to use AI against our institutions, democratic values, and way of life."
MORE FROM ITPRO
- There's no single route to AI adoption, and Anthropic is charting all available paths
- Google to invest another $1 billion in Anthropic
- AWS bets big on Anthropic in race against Microsoft and OpenAI
-
Bigger salaries, more burnout: Is the CISO role in crisis?In-depth CISOs are more stressed than ever before – but why is this and what can be done?
-
Cheap cyber crime kits can be bought on the dark web for less than $25News Research from NordVPN shows phishing kits are now widely available on the dark web and via messaging apps like Telegram, and are often selling for less than $25.
-
‘AI is coming for your jobs. It’s coming for my job too’: Fiverr CEO urges staff to upskill or be left behindNews The latest in a string of AI skills warnings has urged staff to begin preparing for the worst
-
Anthropic ramps up European expansion with fresh hiring spreeNews Anthropic has unveiled plans to further expand in Europe, adding 100 roles and picking a new EMEA head.
-
How simplicity benefits the IT partner ecosystemSponsored Content Across private cloud and AI adoption, simple approaches can unlock more time and money for IT teams
-
AI skills training can't be left in the hands of big techNews Speakers at Turing's AI UK conference lay out challenges to AI skills readiness
-
The role of AI and cloud in true digital transformationSupported Content Both cloud computing and AI technologies are vital to pushing your business forward, and combining them in the right way can be transformative
-
Generative AI adoption is 'creating deep rifts' at enterprises: Execs are battling each other over poor ROI, IT teams are worn out, and workers are sabotaging AI strategiesNews Execs are battling each other over poor ROI, underperforming tools, and inter-departmental clashes
-
‘If you want to look like a flesh-bound chatbot, then by all means use an AI teleprompter’: Amazon banned candidates from using AI tools during interviews – here’s why you should never use them to secure a jobNews Amazon has banned the use of AI tools during the interview process – and it’s not the only major firm cracking down on the trend.
-
Starmer bets big on AI to unlock public sector savingsNews AI adoption could be a major boon for the UK and save taxpayers billions, according to prime minister Keir Starmer.
