Stronger tech ties and international agreements on AI to modernise public services and reduce costs for Britons as UK Tech Minister wraps Canada visit
Technology Minister Ian Murray returns from the latest G7 Ministerial gathering in Canada with strengthened tech ties and new agreements in key areas.
- New deal agreed by G7 partners to ramp up AI adoption among SMEs, unlocking greater productivity and growth.
- UK strengthens tech ties with Canada, as both countries work hand in glove to shape the next generation of tech innovations.
- UK and Canadian governments to accelerate digitalisation, tackling challenges like outdated tech, cyber threats and driving growth through rollout of AI.
People across the UK will see public services upgraded as the UK and Canada agree to work together to boost the technology that speeds up modern life and keeps hard-earned money in pockets. It comes as ministers sign a deal to support innovation in critical digital infrastructure and launch a new network to advance progress on semiconductors.
Semiconductors - the tiny chips inside phones, computers, and cars - are at the heart of today’s technology. The UK-Canada semiconductors research network will bring together experts from both countries, through expert exchanges, secondments and more, to develop smarter, faster and more energy-efficient chips.
This includes work on advanced materials, chip design, and packaging techniques that make devices more powerful and sustainable. The network will support research exchanges, workshops, and events, helping scientists share ideas and spark innovation.
Backed by £1.16 million from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and led by Professor Andy G Sellars at the University of Southampton, this builds on an agreement signed earlier this year between the UK and Canada. It aims to create jobs, drive economic growth and keep both nations at the forefront of global technology.
It comes as UK Tech Minister Ian Murray returns home from the G7 Summit with a newly signed deal on modernising public services British people rely on every day.
The 2 countries will exchange knowledge of what’s worked in their own use of AI in delivering public services, swapping the digital tools and cloud-service designs behind these successes.
UK Technology Minister Ian Murray said:
The UK and Canada are working hand in hand to shape the future of technology – from smarter, greener chips to AI that improves everyday services.
This partnership will make life better for people in the UK. By sharing expertise and driving progress together, we’ll create new jobs and cut costs for hardworking people by bringing our public services into the modern age.
The Honourable Evan Solomon, Canadian Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation
Canada and the UK have always been natural partners in science and innovation. This next agreement between the UK’s National Supercomputing Centre and Canada’s Digital Research Alliance is a huge win for both countries.
It unlocks world-class computing power, accelerates breakthroughs in AI and emerging tech, and strengthens the backbone of our shared digital future. I’m thrilled to see another partnership after our joint agreement — this is the kind of bold cooperation the G7 is all about.
At the G7 talks in Montreal, nations agreed on practical steps to help businesses adopt AI, strengthen tech resilience, and upskill workers – unlocking productivity and growth. These include accelerating public-private partnerships, sharing best practice seamlessly, and investing in skills programmes.
The visit follows a Growth and Innovation Partnership agreed by both countries in June to strengthen trade ties and foster R&D projects across the semiconductor, quantum, digital and AI sectors.
Building on the strong supercomputing ties between the UK and Canada, the UK’s National Supercomputing Centre in Edinburgh has signed an agreement with Canada’s Digital Research Alliance. This means experts from both countries will work together to share ideas on how to build and run powerful computers that support cutting-edge research, including artificial intelligence.
The agreements bring together the strengths of both nations in key areas which power many industries like AI and mobile phones. This includes everything from how chips are designed to their energy efficiency.
The UK and Canada are natural partners, with Canadian firms investing some £30 billion into our economy in 2023, supporting more than 165,000 jobs.
By deepening these connections, both countries will drive improvements across healthcare, public services, and growth, which will see citizens in both countries benefiting both in the immediate term and for generations to come.
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