The UK government is advancing plans to make data from national institutions, including the Met Office and the National Archives, available for artificial intelligence systems. Funding has been allocated for researchers to explore how Met Office data could assist agencies and councils in decisions such as purchasing road grit. Another project will investigate whether legal data from the National Archives can support small and medium-sized businesses with legal queries.
Ian Murray, minister for digital government and data, described the National Archives plan as a smart use of the public sector. He noted that small business owners often struggle with legal jargon and that making authoritative legal data AI-ready could provide quick, reliable answers, freeing up time for investment and growth.
The government also announced plans to license content from institutions like the Natural History Museum and the National Library of Scotland for AI development. This is part of a broader strategy to drive AI deployment, following the AI action plan launched last year, which proposed a national data library offering state-controlled data to researchers and companies.
Under a pilot scheme, researchers will explore how to offer digitised content from organisations including Imperial War Museums, the National Library of Scotland, the Natural History Museum, the National Archives, the University of Oxford, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, the Science Museum Group, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. The government stated the scheme will respect creators' rights and copyright, with a pilot platform expected in summer.
The use of data for AI has become contentious, particularly regarding copyright law. Ministers have faced criticism for proposing that AI companies could use copyright-protected work unless artists opt out. Technology secretary Liz Kendall said the government seeks a reset on these plans via an official review due in March.
