A group of influential members of parliament (MPs) in the United Kingdom has issued recommendations for the government to join forces with democratic allies to address potential abuses of artificial intelligence (AI). This initiative aims to position London as a central player in advancing AI technology while ensuring its responsible use.
On August 31, the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee (SITC), an advisory body to the government, released a report suggesting that the UK align itself with like-minded democratic nations to collectively guard against the misuse of AI by both state-affiliated and non-state actors.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced plans to host a summit in early November, which will bring together global leaders and tech executives at Bletchley Park, a historically significant World War II code-breaking center. The summit’s objective is to establish AI guidelines, allowing the UK to take a more active role in regulating AI and becoming a central hub for the AI industry.
The report emphasizes the potential of AI to propagate deepfakes, which can deceive the public, and the risk of malicious actors harnessing AI for the development of new biological and chemical weapons.
The House of Commons Culture, Media, and Sport Committee recently urged the government to reconsider proposals that would grant AI developers unrestricted access to pre-existing music, literature, and art for training their systems. In a separate report dated August 30, the committee cautioned that the initial government proposal to exempt AI-driven text and data mining from copyright protections could devalue arts and culture, relegating them to mere resources for AI advancement.
Within the government, discussions have arisen about the inclusion of China in the November meeting. This gathering is set to convene the Group of Seven global leaders along with industry executives, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The SITC report further recommended that the government draft an AI bill for deliberation during an upcoming parliamentary session on November 7. Failing to do so could result in the UK falling behind other legislative efforts, particularly the ongoing discussions surrounding the EU’s AI Act, as outlined in the report. The UK aims to balance its commitment to AI innovation with robust safeguards to ensure responsible AI development and deployment.