UK faces dangerous dependency on foreign AI, warns GOV. UK founder

Mike Bracken, the founder of GOV. UK, has warned that Britain faces a dangerous dependency on foreign technology as artificial intelligence becomes integrated into businesses and public services. Bracken cautioned that organizations risk losing control of critical systems by gradually delegating authority to external providers.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) indicates rapid AI adoption in the UK. As of June, 35 percent of British businesses with at least 10 employees were using AI, a significant increase from 12 percent in 2023. Among larger companies with over 250 staff, adoption has reached 49 percent.

However, much of this technology is not developed domestically. Approximately 45 percent of businesses using AI rely on free software, while 43 percent utilize external or ready-made solutions. Only 12 percent of users develop their own AI. The ONS noted that leading foundation-model providers, such as Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic, are American-based, meaning much of the technology is accessed through licensing rather than being owned as UK assets. Additionally, the specialized chips required to run advanced AI are largely produced outside of Britain.