The UK Government is partnering with Google DeepMind through a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to advance scientific progress and deliver smarter public services.
This includes the potential for a new AI system, Gemini for Government, which governments hope will reduce bureaucracy, automate routine tasks and free civil servants to focus on improving services for the public.
Google DeepMind said that through the partnership, its existing cutting-edge AI models will be made available to scientists in the UK. These include tools like AlphaGenome, which uses AI to sequence DNA strands and discover potential weaknesses. As an AI co-scientist, we help researchers generate new theories and research proposals.
DeepMind explains that these tools are designed to function like AI microscopes, supporting scientific discovery and enabling researchers to tackle problems of unprecedented complexity and scale. For example, the AlphaFold tool for predicting protein structure is already driving research in areas as diverse as crop resilience and antimicrobial resistance.
Education is also a possible use case. Google DeepMind said it is considering developing a version of Gemini based on the national curriculum. He said it also supports research on AI in education and its impact on teaching and learning.
Commenting on the partnership, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This partnership will ensure that advances in AI are harnessed for the public good so that everyone feels the benefits.”
“That means using AI to solve everyday problems, like lowering utility bills with cheaper, greener energy and making public services more efficient, ensuring taxpayer money is spent on what matters most to people.”
The partnership will see DeepMind open its first automation lab in the UK next year, which Labor hopes will strengthen Britain's position as a world leader in science and technology.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: “DeepMind is a perfect example of what UK-US technology collaboration can achieve, with companies with roots on both sides of the Atlantic supporting British innovators and shaping the curve of technological progress.”
The lab uses Google's Gemini engine to provide AI and robotics to power new discoveries and experiment execution. The new lab's main focus is the development of superconducting materials that can transport electricity with zero resistance. The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology said such superconductors could be used in low-cost medical imaging and could help improve the power efficiency of the next generation of computer chips.
Demis Hassabis, co-founder and CEO of Google DeepMind, said: “AI has incredible potential to power a new era of scientific discovery and improve everyday life. We are excited to deepen our collaboration with the UK government and build on this country's rich heritage of innovation to advance science, strengthen security, and deliver measurable improvements for our people.”
The partnership marks Google's latest support for the UK's technology and science sector. In the summer, it announced it would help the government modernize its outdated IT.
Google has also committed to investing £5bn to support AI infrastructure and research activities in the UK, announced ahead of US President Donald Trump's state visit.
