By Dan Milmo
Publication Date: 2026-03-17 06:00:00
The UK will not allow quantum computing talent to slip through its fingers and must learn lessons from US dominance in the AI competition, the technology minister said as the government announced a £1bn quantum funding commitment.
Liz Kendall said the government hopes to retain homegrown quantum startups, engineers and researchers rather than lose them to rival countries, with the US giving its Western rivals a leg up in AI.
“I’m looking at what happened to the AI,” Kendall said. “I think we need to learn the lessons from this and make sure we give our brilliant scientists, spin-outs and start-ups the opportunity to stay here and make something happen. And that requires a government that is bold and ambitious and confident in these future technologies.”
She added: “Too many people feel like they have to move to the US to get the funding and support they need to grow and scale their business.”
DeepMind, a groundbreaking AI company co-founded by Nobel laureate Demis Hassabis, is still based…
