The chief executive of the Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s AI research organisation, is resigning from her role following dramatic internal and external shifts.

Jean Innes has stepped down after leading the Alan Turing Institute since 2023, though the organisation has faced much scrutiny during her tenure.

The UK government called for the AI research institute to shift its strategies with a focus on AI security and defence.

Shortly after this call out, the institute faced internal ruffles as staff revolted against internal changes and a toxic work culture, going so far as to file a whistleblower complaint with the Charity Commission just last month.

Innes commented on her departure: “It has been a great honour to lead the UK’s national institute for data science and artificial intelligence, implementing a new strategy and overseeing significant organisational transformation. With that work concluding, and a new chapter starting for the Institute, now is the right time for new leadership and I am excited about what it will achieve.”

The Institute is already searching for a replacement to lead them on with their new strategy focus on AI in security and defence.

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Staff of the Institute raised a number of complaints prior to Innes’s resignation, ranging from the misuse of public funds, to a toxic work culture, and the failure to deliver of its mission. In the complaint letter to the Charity Commission, workers said that they had raised issues with leadership, but no changes were made.

Prior to this, the UK government urged the Alan Turing Institute to shift its focus from three areas of AI development – health, environment and sustainability, and defence and security – to just focus on defence and security.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said that the Institute’s grant of £100 million for five years could be under review in just a year’s time to ensure the institute abides by the strategy shift.