UK government launches AI fellowship backed by Meta

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The UK government has announced a significant new scheme to accelerate its adoption of Artificial Intelligence, supported by a $1 million (£740,000) grant from Meta, the parent company of Facebook.

The funding, channelled through the Alan Turing Institute, will establish up to 10 AI fellowships, bringing top AI “experts” into government departments to drive technological integration and foster economic growth.

The initiative comes as both the current government and the opposition emphasize the transformative potential of AI. Starmer has previously suggested AI could generate “tens of billions in savings and efficiencies” across the UK.

These new AI fellows, whose adverts will go live next week with fellowships commencing in early 2026, are expected to tackle a range of public sector challenges. Potential applications include mass translation of classified documents, streamlining planning applications and enhancing emergency responses during power or internet outages.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle hailed the scheme, stating: “This fellowship is the best of AI in action – open, practical, and built for public good. It’s about delivery, not just ideas – creating real tools that help government work better for people.” He added that the program aims to “develop sovereign capabilities where the UK must lead, like national security and critical infrastructure.”

A key aspect of the fellowships is their focus on open-source AI models, which are expected to minimize licensing costs for the government. Meta, a prominent advocate for open-source AI with its Llama model, has also sponsored studies into the benefits of government adoption of such tools.

Joel Kaplan, Meta’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, underscored the potential of open-source AI to “transform the delivery of public services.” He stated: “This partnership with [the] Alan Turing Institute will help the government access some of the brightest minds and the technology they need to solve big challenges – and to do it openly and in the public interest.”

The initiative builds on existing government efforts to increase AI uptake, including the AI “incubator” within Peter Kyle’s Department for Science and Technology. An example of past success cited is “Caddy,” an AI tool developed with Citizens Advice that helps call centre workers find answers faster, with trials suggesting it could halve waiting times. The government has also recently announced a deal with Google to provide tech support and assist with data modernization.

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