UK visa process should be streamlined for AI experts, suggests advisor

An advisor is expected to suggest a change-up in the UK visa process, with recommendations the government reduce the cost and complexity of the process for people with expertise in AI.

According to the Financial Times, a government-commissioned report is expected to be published in November.

This is the ‘AI Opportunities Action Plan’ which has been created by angel investor Matt Clifford, with the report having been submitted to government last month.

While this hasn’t yet been made publicly available, it’s said to set out numerous recommendations on how Britain can become more attractive for companies focused on machine learning technologies.

To carry out the research, roundtables with industry executives, entrepreneurs and investors were held throughout July and September to gain further insight.

The FT is reporting that people briefed on the plan have said improving the visa process is expected to be one of Clifford’s recommendations, with several individuals raising concerns to him about the lengthy bureaucracy and cost of hiring overseas talent.

The report was commissioned by the UK Science Secretary, Peter Kyle, who has put AI at the heart of the government’s agenda to deliver change and sustained economic growth.

“As well as exploring how to build a UK AI sector that can scale and compete on the global stage, the plan will also set out how to boost take up of the technology across all parts of the economy, and consider the necessary infrastructure, talent, and data access required to drive adoption by the public and private sectors,” stated a government press release in July.

Matt Clifford said: “AI presents us with so many opportunities to grow the economy and improve people’s lives. The UK is leading the way in many areas, but we can do even better.

Estimates from the International Monetary Fund show that although exact economic impact hinges on the wider development and adoption of AI, with realization potentially being gradual, the UK could see productivity gains of up to 1.5 percent annually.

Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram

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