Staff at the Alan Turing Institute (ATI), the UK's leading artificial intelligence research body, have filed a whistleblowing complaint with the Charity Commission, raising concerns about the organisation's governance and internal culture. The complaint warns that the institute is at risk of collapse due to government threats over its funding.
The complaint, submitted by a group of current ATI staff, alleges that the board of trustees, chaired by former Amazon UK boss Doug Gurr, has failed in its core legal duties, including providing strategic direction and ensuring accountability. It claims a letter of no confidence was delivered last year but not acted upon. The staff also allege an internal culture of 'fear, exclusion, and defensiveness'.
The complaint comes amid government pressure on ATI to overhaul its strategy and leadership. Technology Secretary Peter Kyle recently called for a shift in focus towards defence and national security, and warned that future funding depends on improved delivery and leadership changes. ATI has already notified about 50 staff (around 10% of its workforce) that they are at risk of redundancy as part of a restructuring.
The complaint also claims that ATI's credibility with staff, funders, and partners has been undermined, and that there has been no accountability for how funds are used. It alleges inadequate board oversight of senior leadership departures and appointments. Additionally, ATI is shutting projects related to online safety, housing, and health inequality, and pausing work on AI ethics and human rights.
An ATI spokesperson said the Charity Commission had not contacted them about any complaint, and noted that a previous whistleblower complaint to UK Research and Innovation had been investigated and found no concerns. The Charity Commission declined to confirm or deny receipt of the complaint to protect whistleblower identity.
