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UK digital strategy to be published this week


The UK's long-awaited digital strategy will be published on Wednesday, the government has confirmed.

The strategy was anticipated last year but was delayed as a result of the UK's referendum on EU membership. The government has been under pressure to set out the strategy.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) confirmed that the UK digital strategy is due to published on 1 March, and that it is expected to include proposals on robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).

DCMS said that a new £17.3 million funding commitment is expected to be announced to "support the development of new Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (RAI) technologies in universities across the UK".

The strategy is also expected to confirm that a "major AI review" will be undertaken. The review will aim to "identify the critical elements for the exciting technology to thrive and grow in the UK" and "consider how government and industry could work together to back this technology, which could inform a sector deal", DCMS said.

Sector deals are envisaged under the UK government's industrial strategy, which was published earlier this year. Under that strategy, it is open to industry to put together proposals on how productivity in their sector could be improved, such as through deregulation, targeted funding or tackling market access barriers with other countries.

UK culture secretary Karen Bradley said: "We are already pioneers in today’s artificial intelligence revolution and the digital strategy will build on our strengths to make sure UK-based scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs continue to be at the forefront. Technologies like AI have the potential to transform how we live, work, travel and learn.

"It’s great that government and industry will be working together to drive growth in the sector, to realise all the economic and social benefits for the UK," she said. "Backing our thriving digital economy to expand and grow by putting the best foundations in place to develop new technology is a vital part of this government’s plan to build a modern, dynamic and global trading nation."

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