Llion Jones, a co-author of the seminal “Attention Is All You Need” paper and co-founder of Tokyo-based Sakana AI, says the UK and Wales shouldn’t try to outspend U.S. and Chinese “hyperscalers” in the AI arms race. Instead, he urges policymakers to back differentiated, longer-horizon research and create environments that give universities and companies freedom to innovate. UK officials, including Business Secretary Peter Kyle, are pushing AI adoption to boost productivity—citing potential gains worth hundreds of billions—but face obstacles from weak grid capacity and contentious transmission upgrades in Wales. Jones also warns today’s chatbots are “sycophantic,” calling for systems that challenge users and correct errors. The debate underscores Britain’s choice between competing on scale or betting on niche research, talent, and infrastructure.
Related articles:
— Attention Is All You Need
— AI Safety Summit 2023
— The Great Grid Upgrade
