JOHN HEALEY PLEDGES TO USE BUDGET TO HARNESS POWER OF AI TO BOLSTER BRITAIN SECURITY | BUDGET 2026

What happened: John Healey pledged to use Wednesday's budget to harness AI to bolster Britain's security and prosperity, with hundreds of millions of pounds for a "distinctively British" approach. Key numbers: Oil rose above $117 a barrel. Barclays is cutting 5,000 jobs. £10m a year for work on how AI reshapes jobs. Up to £300m in public-private investment in a new AI Biosecurity Lab. Why it matters: Healey said AI investment helped the UK post the strongest G7 growth in the first half of this year, but fears are growing over cyber-attacks and job losses.

John Healey pledged to use Wednesday's budget to harness AI to bolster Britain's security and prosperity, with hundreds of millions of pounds for a "distinctively British" approach.

Healey said AI investment helped the UK post the strongest G7 growth in the first half of this year, but fears are growing over cyber-attacks and job losses.