UK Digital, robotics underscore lagging U.S. development caused by patent ineligibility of software....

UK Digital Strategy initiatives in AI, robotics underscore lagging U.S. development caused bypatent ineligibility of software

Before there was President Donald J. Trump, there was Brexit. It was the first in a growing series of moves towards political nationalism which, despite being widely scoffed at early on, has won enough favor to become today’s political reality. The UK’s planned secession from the European Union (EU) as a result of the country’s referendum vote last June has major economic implications for the country as it releases Britain from a list of regulatory obligations enforced by the EU and allows the country to negotiate bilateral trade agreements, the first time the UK government will have engaged in such negotiations since 1973.

                                                                           

Even as it moves towards leaving the EU, the UK is looking ahead to see where its economic fortunes might lie in the years to come. In late February, the country’s plans came into a bit more focus with the UK’s Department for Culture, Media & Sport announcing a new Digital Strategy tech development policy initiative. The UK cites an artificial intelligence (AI) market research report published last year by Accenture, which notes that intelligent automation, augmentation and total factor productivity innovations could provide £654 billion ($814 billion USD) worth of economic growth by the year 2035. The growth of AI in the UK could be particularly valuable to the country’s strong pharmaceutical and aerospace sectors, according to the Accenture report.