The UK is set to put artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing at the heart of its  future growth plans in a £2 billion gamble that will make the country the global leader in the technology.

In a statement the UK government said it would deliver a range of support worth £2 billion to establish the UK as a world leader in Quantum, from skills and talent to research and procurement programmes.

Britain aims to become first country in the world to commit to making and deploying  Quantum computers at scale by the early 2030s, “ushering in a new era for computing which could add £200 billion to the economy by 2045”.

It added the next step in the UK’s plans for Quantum technology will help deliver personalised treatments, potential cures for diseases, safeguard our national security and deliver high-paid jobs – revolutionising the health and wealth of hardworking people across the UK and delivering on the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy.

Technology secretary Liz Kendall said: ”I am determined this country grasps the benefits will Quantum computing will bring. It is only by keeping pace with technological progress that we can deliver the high-paid jobs, cutting-edge public services, and innovations which change lives.

“These announcements are an investment in our future - unlocking better health, wealth, and more opportunities for communities across the country.

“This government is ushering in a Quantum leap – making the choice today to back UK scientists, companies, and innovators so we can deliver a future that works for all.”

Describing the investment as a “pioneering programme” will ensure the UK stays at the forefront of Quantum innovation. The UK will  become the first country to benefit from revolutionary Quantum computers, sensors, and networks, and support the emergence of the next generation of leading British companies who will help shape the curve of progress.

“Quantum is technology’s next great generational leap and will rival AI as the defining technology of the future,” the statement added. ”While a traditional computer solves problems using a one-by one approach, a Quantum system explores thousands of potential answers at once -slashing the time it takes to reach a solution. That will accelerate how we can drive growth, investment, and national renewal for future generations, delivering new, life-changing breakthroughs in the process.

“As of today, the UK is the first country in the world to commit to an advanced procurement to build large-scale quantum computers on our shores by the early 2030s. Joining R&D, manufacturing, software, hardware and procurement into a single programme, we will be world leaders in developing and deploying large-scale Quantum computers.

“These systems will be built in Britain – creating British jobs, new opportunities for British businesses, and opening new routes of investment to flow into our economy from all over the world.”

This first of its kind procurement programme, ”ProQure:Scaling UK Quantum Computing” will launch next week, where companies will be invited to table proposals to partner with us to deliver state of the art prototypes for evaluation.

Prototypes will then be assessed, with the most promising companies invited to deliver larger scale machines for use by scientists, researchers, the public sector, and businesses, as part of our national computing infrastructure – transforming the UK into a hotbed for the latest, cutting-edge Quantum technology.

Estimates show Quantum could boost productivity by 7% in the next 2 decades, creating more than 100,000 jobs in the process. That would mean £212 billion worth of economic impact – the equivalent of adding the combined annual GDP of Wales and Northern Ireland.

The statement added: “The UK is already a global powerhouse in the technology, launching a first of its kind National Quantum Technologies programme in 2014 which has already been backed by more than £1 billion in public funding to support skills, research, and infrastructure. Our credentials as a global magnet for private investment are also thriving. Coinciding with today’s announcements, several global companies are announcing technical breakthroughs delivered in the UK, as well as new and recent investment commitments.”

“The raft of measures set out today not only lay the foundations for new investment, jobs, and improved public services across the country, but cement the UK’s position as a global leader in the emerging technologies which will shape the future,” it concluded.