Britain’s new Labour government has said it will explore how to effectively regulate artificial intelligence models, but has stopped short of proposing any specific legislation.
King Charles laid out newly-elected Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s legislative agenda in a speech opening the new session of parliament on Wednesday. It included more than 35 new bills covering everything from housing to cybersecurity measures.
The government said it would strive to enact appropriate legislation to impose requirements on those working to develop “the most powerful artificial intelligence models”.
The country’s previous prime minister, Rishi Sunak, sought to make the UK a world leader in AI safety, and called together world leaders and company executives at a summit at Bletchley Park last November to discuss the issue.
He also oversaw the launch of the world’s first AI safety institute, which has focused on the capabilities of “frontier” AI models, such as those behind OpenAI’s highly successful ChatGPT chatbot.
“AI labs will collectively breathe a sigh of relief at the government’s decision not to rush into frontier model regulation,” said Nathan Benaich, founding partner at AI-focused investment group Air Street Capital.
Under Sunak, the government has refrained from introducing targeted AI regulation, instead opting to divide responsibility for scrutinising the technology between a number of different regulators.
Starmer has promised new laws on AI, but his government is treading cautiously in implementing them.
“The UK’s cautious, sector-based approach to AI regulation remains a significant competitive advantage over the EU, and any move to change this regime must be taken with extreme caution,” Benaich said.
But some AI experts say the rapid proliferation of AI tools over the past 18 months makes the need for new legislation even more acute.
Gaia Marcus, director of the Ada Lovelace Institute, said the government should introduce the bill as soon as possible.
“These systems are already becoming integrated into our daily lives, our public services and our economy, bringing benefits and opportunities, but also posing a number of risks to people and society,” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)