The UK is advancing national data infrastructure to accelerate responsible AI research and development.
• The UK government is progressing plans to make government-held datasets (e.g., weather records from the Met Office and historical archives) available for AI development and research through a National Data Library and related platforms. These initiatives aim to balance innovation with ethical, privacy, and copyright safeguards.
• The National Data Library is backed by substantial public funding as part of a broader digital strategy, designed to unlock data for economic growth, improve public services, and support cutting-edge AI applications.
• Complementary efforts include the development of frameworks to make government datasets AI-ready — ensuring data quality, governance, and interoperability — further positioning the UK as a responsible AI innovation hub.