The prime minister is to say she wants the UK to lead the world in deciding how artificial intelligence can be deployed in a safe and ethical manner. Theresa May will say at the World Economic Forum in Davos that a new advisory body, previously announced in the Autumn Budget, will co-ordinate efforts with other countries.
In addition, she will confirm that the UK will join the Davos forum’s own council on artificial intelligence. But others may have stronger claims.
Earlier this week, Google picked France as the base for a new research centre dedicated to exploring how AI can be applied to health and the environment.
Facebook also announced it was doubling the size of its existing AI lab in Paris, while software firm SAP committed itself to a 2bn euro ($2.5bn; £1.7bn) investment into the country that will include work on machine learning.
Meanwhile, a report released last month by the Eurasia Group consultancy suggested that the US and China are engaged in a "two-way race for AI dominance".
It predicted Beijing would take the lead thanks to the "insurmountable" advantage of offering its companies more flexibility in how they use data about its citizens.
Theresa May is expected to meet US President Donald Trump at the Davos event on Thursday.
‘Unthinkable advances’
The prime minister will base the UK’s claim to leadership in part on the health of its start-up economy, quoting a figure that a new AI-related company has been created in the country every week for the last three years.
In addition, she is expected to say that the UK is recognised as first in the world for its preparedness to "bring artificial intelligence into government".