The CEO of the UK鈥檚 national institute for AI has resigned after months of internal unrest and mounting pressure over its future direction.
Dr Jean Innes (pictured), who took the helm of the Alan Turing Institute in July 2023, confirmed she was stepping down from her role at the organisation last week.聽
She described it as “a great honour to lead the UK鈥檚 national institute for data science and artificial intelligence” but admitted that “now is the right time for new leadership”.
Her exit comes after then-Technology Secretary Peter Kyle warned that the institute risked losing its 拢100m public funding unless it pivoted more heavily towards defence. Kyle has since moved to the role of Secretary of State for 老九品茶 and Trade as part of a cabinet reshuffle following the resignation of Angela Rayner as Deputy Prime Minister.
The institute has also encountered staff discontent which led to a whistleblowing complaint to the Charity Commission.
A Department for Science, Innovation and Technology spokesperson said: 鈥淭he technology secretary has been clear on the need for the institute to deliver value for money and maximum impact for taxpayers, and we will continue our work to support that ambition.鈥�
The Turing Institute confirmed its board is now seeking a new chief executive to lead 鈥榯he next phase鈥�, with an increased focus on defence, national security and sovereign capabilities.
One sector insider told 老九品茶Cloud: 鈥淲e鈥檝e been working with them for a little bit, but it鈥檚 impossible because they鈥檙e just threatening people with redundancies.聽
鈥淭here seems to be a fair bit of bullying going on and no movement forward. They鈥檙e not involving people externally and designing things like frameworks or standards.
鈥淭his is not just Turing. This is the entire AI ecosystem in government. It is basically getting run by egos and people who can put their name to it.鈥�
They claimed that the institute had “granted itself money to do projects鈥� that have never happened” and argued it had become “a charade” which universities used to draw down grants.
鈥淚t has just granted itself money to do these projects that, based on the ones that I鈥檝e been involved in, have never happened,鈥� they added.聽
鈥淪o the money has just been getting taken out of taxpayers鈥� pockets, put into the universities that are in the Turing and then nothing鈥檚 been happening.鈥�
The Alan Turing Institute: behind the unrest at the AI powerhouse
The source was also critical of the institute鈥檚 proposed pivot into defence.
They questioned: 鈥淗ow are they qualified to do military AI? That鈥檚 what DSTL (The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory) does. That鈥檚 what I do when I go and consult.
鈥淭he Turing鈥檚 got no business being in military AI, they鈥檙e not security cleared, they鈥檙e not competent. They don鈥檛 know anything about the area.鈥�
They described a difficult working environment, saying staff had been repeatedly warned of redundancy and that projects had stalled.
鈥淭he person that I鈥檝e been trying to work with has just been told he鈥檚 getting made redundant three times, then he鈥檚 been off for six months,鈥� they explained.
鈥淚t鈥檚 that type of culture. There鈥檚 absolutely nothing happening there at all. People are just sitting around not doing very much.鈥�
Despite the leadership change, the insider was sceptical about whether anything will improve.聽
They said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 either that or they鈥檙e going to claim that that鈥檚 them taking some accountability.聽
鈥淭hen they might say, 鈥榣et鈥檚 bring somebody new in that鈥檚 going to reinvigorate the whole thing鈥� and then they鈥檒l do Turing 2.0 which is basically just the same thing.聽
鈥淣othing has changed.鈥�
They also questioned the morality of those in power at the institute when they added: 鈥淚f one person like little old me can put all this effort in, then the Turing can do a hell of a lot more than me.聽
鈥淪o why are we rowing? Why are we doing ego stuff? Why are we politicking? Just get on with it. But these people are just not that type.聽
鈥淭hey鈥檙e all politicians. It鈥檚 all about ego and trying to make sure they can get their next job and getting their profile up, and it鈥檚 pathetic.聽
“Honestly, every single day with these people it鈥檚 the same.聽
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 going on, but it鈥檚 a mess behind the scenes.鈥�