In the name of stimulating economic growth through the government’s plan to become a “science and technology superpower,” it has funded projects that bring us ever nearer to a dystopian and technologically controlled society.
On 9 February, DSIT published an ‘update on progress’ report for the UK Science and Technology Framework (“UKSTF”). The UKSTF is the government’s plan to cement the UK’s place as a science and technology superpower by 2030.
According to Dame Angela McLean, Government Chief Scientific Adviser, and Dr. Dave Smith, National Technology Adviser, the UKSTF is the principal vehicle helping the whole of government deliver its strategic intent of becoming a “science and technology superpower.”
“Moving at warp speed,” in March 2023 Michelle Donelan, Secretary of State for DSIT, launched the UKSTF. “Led by DSIT, with collaborative delivery across government, we have already made substantial gains,” she said in the update report.
“Public spending on R&D is at the highest ever level, and we are fulfilling our commitment to spend £20 billion across the next financial year with every £1 of public expenditure leveraging double the amount of private investment,” Donelan added.
The UKSTF has projects with large budgets such as the “£1.5 billion for compute infrastructure across the exascale and AI Research Resource (AIRR) programmes since the publication of the independent Future of Compute Review in March 2023.”
Compute is advanced computing capabilities – the large-scale processing power, memory and data storage that is used to tackle tasks beyond the capabilities of everyday computers. The Future of Compute Review explores the UK’s compute needs over the next decade and provides recommendations to spur growth and secure the UK’s status as a science and technology superpower....<<<Read More>>>...