Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced the establishment of the world’s inaugural artificial intelligence (AI) safety institute in the UK.
Mr. Sunak said, “We are doing far more than any other country to keep you safe from AI threats,” and highlighted the institute’s mission to assess new AI models and explore their risks and capabilities.
The new institute will build upon the foundation laid by the Frontier AI Taskforce, a research team dedicated to evaluating risks at the forefront of AI.
Mr. Sunak highlighted the task force’s significant progress, securing “privileged access” to the proprietary technology models of leading AI giants such as Google DeepMind, Anthropic, and OpenAI.
The institute’s approach to information dissemination will reflect a delicate balance between transparency and national security, he said.
Mr. Sunak underlined AI’s potential to tackle global challenges, emphasising its role in achieving clean energy through nuclear fusion, combating hunger, and revolutionising medical treatments.
‘AI Doesn’t Respect Borders’
While acknowledging the risks, Mr. Sunak emphasised leadership in understanding and mitigating them. “We cannot bury our heads in the sand; AI doesn’t respect borders,” he warned.Experts, including Matthew Lesh from the Institute of Economic Affairs, echoed Mr. Sunak’s cautious optimism. Speaking to The Epoch Times, Mr. Lesh emphasised the potential of AI in enhancing human wellbeing, urging against excessive regulation to prevent hindrance to progress.
Mr. Lesh, director of public policy and communications at the free market think tank, said via email: “The prime minister is right to highlight the immense opportunities presented by AI to boost human wellbeing, from self-driving cars to improved medical diagnosis and personalised learning.
“He is also right to stress the importance of innovation and not rushing to regulate. Precautionary overregulation risks hindering progress, damaging inbound investment, and making Britain an AI backwater.”
Mr. Lesh added: “In Greek mythology, Prometheus defied the Olympian gods by giving humanity fire, a reminder that technology has always been a force for good and evil.
China Invited to UK Summit
The prime minister also advocated for engaging with global AI powers, acknowledging the necessity of an international solution and inviting China to an AI Safety Summit hosted by the UK, taking place at the start of November in Buckinghamshire.Responding to concerns about job loss owing to AI, Mr. Sunak dismissed the idea of a “robot tax.” Instead, he emphasised education as the key to future job protection.
Labour, however, criticised the government’s lack of concrete regulatory plans, urging action to ensure public safety.
Peter Kyle, the shadow science, innovation, and technology secretary, said: “Artificial intelligence is already having huge benefits for Britain, and the potential of this next generation of AI could be endless, but it poses risks as well. Safety must come first to prevent this technology getting out of control.
“Rishi Sunak should back up his words with action and publish the next steps on how we can ensure the public is protected. We are still yet to see concrete proposals on how the government is going to regulate the most powerful AI models.”
The MP for Hove added: “A Labour government would set clear standards for AI safety, so that this leading tech can be used to restore our public services and boost growth. Labour would use AI to better diagnose diseases, put more money in people’s pockets, and help build a better Britain.”
