AI + ML

UK.gov kicks off half-a-billion quid sovereign AI venture with £80M invite

Companies get to keep IP developed for government projects

The UK government is opening £80 million in AI procurement talks with tech firms, drawing on its £500 million sovereign capability fund.

An official notice published late last week says the government wants to help validatenew AI capabilities and de-risk investment for the wider market by acting as an early customer.

Future opportunities might include government contracts to develop prototypeAIcapabilities and the opportunity toestablishclose relationships with government departments, the notice says .

It suggests a competition for contracts could launch as soon as July 2026, each worth up to £5 million per project, and lasting 12 to 24 months, depending on the scope of the project.

The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology plans to set challenges looking for capabilities in advancing scientific discovery, health andsocial care, national security and…