A 10-year artificial intelligence strategy has been outlined by the Government in a bid to make the UK a global science superpower and lead the way on how it should be regulated.

Ministers want to make the country a global leader in the governance of AI, as well as building confidence in the ever-growing technology, by publishing a white paper on possible regulation.

The move comes as the UK’s first National Artificial Intelligence Strategy was launched, alongside plans for a research and innovation programme designed to improve collaboration between researchers while boosting business and public sector adoption of AI.

Chris Philp, a minister in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said: “Artificial intelligence technologies generate billions for the economy and improve our lives.

“They power the technology we use on a daily basis and help save lives through better disease diagnosis and drug discovery.

“The UK already punches above its weight internationally and we are ranked third in the world behind the USA and China in the list of top countries for AI.

“Today we’re laying the foundations for the next 10 years’ growth with a strategy to help us seize the potential of artificial intelligence and play a leading role in shaping the way the world governs it.”

Among the plans, the Government intends to carry out a consultation on copyright and patents for AI developed in the UK, looking at new situations such as when the creator is a machine rather than a human.

The overall aim is to make the country an attractive place to work in AI-related industries, with clear rules and ethics.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, said: “AI technologies have the capacity to fundamentally transform many aspects of the way we live and work.

“The UK is already a world leader in certain aspects of AI and this strategy helps to define how to enhance those capabilities further to ensure that the UK can both develop and use AI for the benefit of citizens.”