UK commits £100 million to AI biosecurity lab with OpenAI and Anthropic

The UK pledges £100 million to establish a biosecurity laboratory, with OpenAI and Anthropic participating in the collaboration. Jinse Caijing reports that on October 24, the UK announced it would invest £100 million (approximately $134 million) to build an AI-powered biosecurity laboratory, supported by OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind. This initiative is part of a broader package aimed at enhancing the UK government’s ability to understand and respond to AI-related risks. According to the UK government’s statement, the laboratory will leverage artificial intelligence to identify and monitor biological threats; meanwhile, OpenAI and Anthropic will provide up to £200 million worth of AI model computing power. The laboratory will also collaborate with Google DeepMind and life sciences company Basecamp Research. An additional £65 million has been allocated by the government for developing countermeasures against pathogens. UK Minister for AI, Kanishka Narayan, stated: “As AI capabilities continue to advance, the UK must be equipped to protect its citizens and shape its own future. This means staying ahead of emerging threats such as cyberattacks and biological risks, while gaining greater control over the critical technologies underpinning national security.” The announcement also includes additional funding: an extra £120 million allocated to the AI Safety Institute—the government’s highest-funded agency—whose core mission is to continuously assess cutting-edge AI models; and £23 million allocated toward establishing the AI Economics Institute to analyze the economic impacts of artificial intelligence. (Sina Finance)