Google has issued a warning that the UK risks falling behind in the global AI race unless the government quickly builds more data centres and allows tech companies to use copyrighted work in their AI models.

The UK ranks seventh on the global AI readiness index for data and infrastructure, highlighting the need for policy changes.

Debbie Weinstein, Google's UK managing director, emphasized that the government must take proactive actions to stay competitive.

Google has released a policy document, 'Unlocking the UK’s AI Potential,' recommending a national research cloud and a national skills service to adapt the workforce for AI.

The report also calls for relaxed restrictions on text and data mining of copyrighted materials, which is crucial for training AI models.

The Conservative government’s recent decisions to cut funding to AI infrastructure projects and drop plans for commercial TDM have further complicated the situation.

Google urges for ‘pro-innovation’ regulation, suggesting the government should use existing regulatory frameworks rather than create new ones.

The UK is also drafting an AI bill focused on making AI safety and testing agreements legally binding.