Efforts for the UK to pioneer AI regulation could stumble if a new law isn’t enacted by November, caution Members of Parliament. The risk of the EU outpacing the UK in ensuring AI safety looms unless decisive steps are taken, the Commons Technology Committee ministers advised.
Come early November, the UK is slated to host a global AI summit. The government conveyed to the BBC that it remains open to considering additional actions, but refrained from confirming rapid law enactment. Instead, they emphasized the summit and the £100 million initial investment in a task force aimed at fostering secure AI model development.
According to the committee’s published report on Thursday, if legislation isn’t introduced in the King’s Speech on November 7, the earliest it could become law is 2025. The report asserts that a two-year legislative delay puts the UK at risk of lagging behind standards set by other regulations like the EU AI Act, which could establish itself as the prevailing norm.
The report likens this situation to the trajectory of data protection regulations, where UK laws aligned with EU standards. While the government’s white paper on AI regulation acknowledges the potential need for a new law in the future, Rishi Sunak has previously indicated that many aspects could be addressed without legislation.
A linchpin of his strategy is the November summit, touted as the “world’s first major global summit on AI safety.” The committee contends that a broad spectrum of countries, including China, should be invited to participate.
