The most searched questions about Liz Kendall — answered with data.
Is the UK falling behind in AI?
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The UK has slipped to 4th globally in AI investment, behind the US, China, and the EU bloc. While the AI Safety Institute is operational — the first of its kind globally — it focuses on safety research rather than competitive deployment. Private AI investment into UK firms reached £14bn in 2025/26, well short of the £20bn target. The government's AI Action Plan set 5 milestones; 3 have been met.
Why is broadband still slow in rural areas?
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Gigabit broadband coverage reached 81% of UK premises in early 2026, against a target of 85% by the end of 2025. Rural areas account for the shortfall, where the cost per premise of laying fibre can be 10–20x higher than in urban areas. The government's Project Gigabit programme is 3 years behind its original rural roll-out schedule, with 19% of households — predominantly rural — still awaiting gigabit-capable connections.
What is the AI Safety Institute?
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The AI Safety Institute (AISI) was established in 2023 and is the world's first government body dedicated to the safety testing of advanced AI models. It evaluates frontier AI systems for potential harms before deployment. The DSIT budget allocated £0.5bn to the AISI in 2026/27. While widely praised internationally, critics argue it is better resourced for safety research than for boosting the UK's commercial AI competitiveness.
How does R&D investment compare internationally?
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OECD data for 2025/26 shows UK R&D spending at 1.7% of GDP, compared to an OECD average of 2.7% and the UK government's own target of 2.4%. South Korea spends 4.9%, Sweden 3.5%, and Germany 3.1%. Despite the R&D tax credit reforms introduced in 2024, the incentive changes have had limited impact on business R&D spend, which fell in real terms across SMEs.
What is the Online Safety Act doing?
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The Online Safety Act came into force in 2023 and is now being enforced by Ofcom. Platforms with over 100,000 UK users must complete risk assessments, implement safety measures, and comply with new transparency codes. By May 2026, Ofcom had issued enforcement notices against 4 major platforms and was investigating 12 others. The Act's children's safety provisions — requiring age verification — are being phased in through 2026.