OpenAI’s expanded partnership with the UK Ministry of Justice marks a significant step in the country’s pursuit of AI sovereignty. The agreement allows UK businesses and public sector bodies to store AI-generated data on British soil, enhancing privacy, national resilience and control over critical digital infrastructure.
Under the deal, civil servants gain access to ChatGPT Enterprise, with assurances that data will remain within UK borders. The move aligns with the government’s AI Action Plan and its broader “Plan for Change” strategy, which seeks to accelerate AI adoption while safeguarding accountability and data security.
The Ministry of Justice alone will provide 2,500 employees with access to AI tools, helping streamline document analysis, compliance, research and transcription. More than 1,000 probation officers are already using automation tools such as Justice Transcribe to increase efficiency.
While the partnership is seen as a key step towards digital sovereignty, experts stress that data location alone is not sufficient. Jonny Williams, Chief Digital Adviser for the UK Public Sector at Red Hat, said sovereignty must include the ability to understand, modify and adapt AI systems, as well as the flexibility to switch providers or integrate domestic innovations.
He called for greater adoption of open-source enterprise technologies, which form the backbone of much global infrastructure and enable domestic capacity-building alongside international collaboration.
The OpenAI agreement also includes joint work on AI security and investment in UK data centres. OpenAI plans to expand its London operations, boosting its research and engineering footprint. It is also sharing technical insights with the UK’s AI Safety Institute to support policy development on emerging risks.
Speaking at the OpenAI Frontiers Conference, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said the new data residency options were part of efforts to build public trust and boost digital resilience. “We want to unleash the potential of AI while safeguarding trust, transparency and sovereignty,” he said.
However, the partnership brings fresh challenges for procurement and oversight. The UK must now strike a careful balance between leveraging global innovation and maintaining sovereign control over data and decision-making. How to integrate advanced AI technologies across public services while protecting national interests remains a live policy question.
Even so, the OpenAI deal represents a meaningful step towards responsible AI leadership. It reflects a pragmatic blend of international cooperation and domestic capacity-building—a model that could guide future national strategies on AI sovereignty.
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