Speculation had been swirling that the newly established Labour government in the U.K. would reveal plans for an artificial intelligence (AI) specific bill during the grand unveiling of its legislative blueprint at the state opening of parliament on Wednesday. However, what was eventually mentioned in the King’s Speech was a cautious approach — an intention to “seek to establish the appropriate legislation to place requirements on those working to develop the most powerful artificial intelligence models.”
Officials from Number 10 Downing Street and the Department for Innovation, Science and Technology (DSIT) have verified that there currently isn’t a developed plan for an AI-specific bill. Furthermore, when inquiries were made by TechCrunch regarding the specifics of formulating “appropriate” guidelines for high-impact AI models, details were sparse.
The Labour party, through its election manifesto, has vowed to “ensure the safe development and use of AI models by introducing binding regulation on the small circle of firms developing advanced AI models, alongside a prohibition of the generating sexually explicit deepfakes.”
In comparison, the European Union is ahead, having adopted a risk-based approach for AI application regulation recently. The final text was approved and has been published in the EU’s Official Journal, triggering a countdown for several legal deadlines that will soon affect developers, including specific compliance measures to mitigate the systemic risk posed by powerful, general-purpose AI models.
The hesitancy of the U.K. to draft its AI regulation could be seen as a strategic pause to observe the implementation and impact of the EU’s AI Act.
Furthermore, according to Labour’s manifesto, the plan includes bolstering the AI sector through the nation’s industrial strategy, easing planning processes for new data centers, and founding a National Data Library to amalgamate existing research endeavors. This aims to foster data-driven public services while ensuring robust protections and widespread public benefits.
Today’s announced legislative agenda also underlines the government’s interest in leveraging data as a catalyst for economic expansion — reflecting the previous (Conservative) government’s narrative of using AI to spur wealth creation.
The inclusion of AI in the King’s Speech, with a note on “harness[ing] the power of artificial intelligence as we look to strengthen safety frameworks,” likely alludes to proposed legislation on Product Safety and Metrology, aiming to update longstanding U.K. product standards to address emerging risks and technological innovations like AI.
The government envisions the product safety bill as a means to “support growth, offer regulatory consistency, and enhance consumer protection” by adapting to new product risks and seizing opportunities that parallel technological advancements, such as AI.
Again, the EU leads in this area, as it has been revising product liability regulations to include software and AI-related harm since fall 2022.
Labour’s manifesto recognizes the challenge new technologies pose to current regulatory frameworks and proposes the establishment of a “new Regulatory Innovation Office” to amalgamate existing governmental functions, aiding regulators in keeping pace with rapid technological progress.
Data Reforms and Cybersecurity
Looking broader at the U.K.’s legislative agenda, there are several other bills directly impacting tech policy.
A notable proposal is the so-called Digital Information and Smart Data bill.
This bill revisits ideas from the previous government’s post-Brexit data reform efforts which were shelved following former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s election call. For example, the proposal facilitates “broad consent” for scientific and legitimate research data use, along with reforms to enhance and modernize the capabilities of the U.K.’s Information Commissioner’s Office.
Additionally, there’s an initiative aimed at bolstering digital verification services, hinting at an expansion of secure and trusted digital identity products and services for various applications, while maintaining voluntary adoption — aligning with the EU’s digital ID program approach to avoid controversy.
The bill also intends to encourage “smart data schemes,” aiming at more secure customer data sharing through authorized third-party providers, resembling the existing Open Banking framework and hoping to widen ATPs’ role in offering innovative services.
Edward Machin, a senior lawyer at Ropes & Gray’s data, privacy & cybersecurity practice, provided TechCrunch with an early assessment of Labour’s approach relative to the last government’s post-Brexit data reforms. He notes that it appears Labour is selectively adopting aspects of the prior Data Protection and Digital Information Bill that were most rational, especially regarding scientific research and secondary data uses.
Moreover, the government’s legislative blueprint includes a Cyber Security and Resilience bill, dedicated to heightening security for public services against increasing cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure. The bill promises strengthened defenses and expanded protection for essential digital services, emphasizing the importance of increased incident reporting to capture better data on cyber threats.
This report includes updates on the government’s data reform strategy.
Compiled by Techarena.au.
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