SynopsisThe biggest chunk of funding will go to a new biosecurity initiative, including £100 million for a laboratory using AI to detect biological threats and £65 million to develop countermeasures against pathogens.Listen to this article in summarized formatReutersThe words 'AI Cyber Security' and a keyboard in this illustration taken October 19, 2026.Britain's government set out around £600 million ($800 million) of funding on Saturday largely geared towards defending against health and security threats from artificial intelligence.The biggest chunk of funding will go to a new biosecurity initiative, including £100 million for a laboratory using AI to detect biological threats and £65 million to develop countermeasures against pathogens.AI minister Kanishka Narayan said the aim was for the AI Biosecurity Lab to become a major global institution "bringing together world-leading scientific expertise to protect people from emerging biological threats".Tech companies OpenAI and Anthropic will offer up to £200 million of model credits to the biosecurity initiative.Google Deepmind and London-based AI life sciences startup Basecamp Research will offer other assistance.Britain's government will give its existing AI Security Institute an extra £120 million.£130 million will go towards new projects to improve cyber defences for critical infrastructure and the wider economy, known as the National Cyber Shield and the National Exposure and Real-Time Vulnerability Centre.£60 million will go towards a fund that will invest in British companies using AI to advance robotics, autonomous systems and manufacturing.£60 million will be used for AI research and procurement contracts.An extra £23 million will go to research on the economic impact of AI.£18 million will go to a new chip design academy.£15 million will fund a prize for AI solutions to public policy problems, initially focused on healthcare.£30 million will go to regional mayors to support local AI work.Britain's National Cyber Security Centre will receive an unspecified sum to expand in Manchester.Anthropic alone racked up more than $12 billion in operating expenses last year. ...moreElevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea.KYB and KYC: Business behind the wealth creator called ‘Divi’s Lab’ – Part 2, concludingKYB and KYC: Business behind the wealth creator called “Divi’s Lab” – Part 1The global business of promising moreOne company, 2 words.