UK Dismantles Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
The UK government has disbanded the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), dispersing its responsibilities across multiple ministries. The move has raised concerns within the country's tech sector about the future of innovation policy.
The UK government, under new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, has dismantled the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), a move that consolidates responsibilities across various ministries and has prompted questions from the nation's tech community.
The bulk of DSIT's former duties have been absorbed by the newly formed Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (DBIST). This strengthened department will now oversee AI, emerging technologies, and research and development funding bodies like ARIA and UKRI, aiming to align research policy more closely with industrial strategy and commercialization.
AI Minister Kanishka Narayan will operate jointly between the new Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (OPMC) and DBIST. Narayan's elevation to cabinet level signifies AI's increasing importance as a cross-governmental priority, with decision-making positioned closer to the prime minister. The AI Security Institute (AISI) has also reportedly moved to the cabinet office.
Responsibility for digital policy, including online safety, digital identity, and cybersecurity, has been transferred to an expanded Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). This department will also manage broader digital infrastructure efforts, including government digital services.
The reshuffle suggests a government view that science should be integrated with economic policy and digital services belong within media and communications portfolios. However, uncertainties remain regarding specific areas such as data protection and AI regulation. For tech firms, effective coordination between these newly defined government departments will be crucial.