UK AI governance update
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology released a press release on 19 September 2023 announcing a new advisory service. This will start in 2024, and be designed to help businesses launch AI and digital innovations. It will be supported by relevant regulatory authorities including the Information Commissioner’s Office, Ofcom, the Competition and Markets Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority. Read more here. The exact timescale for the roll out of this advisory service is not known. Since, it is described in the press release as a trial, contact Coevolve IT to keep up to date with the current situation.
The UK AI Safety Summit
Will the UK AI Safety Summit inform governance of artificial intelligence in the United Kingdom? We at Coevolve IT hope so. The published introduction expresses a focus on Frontier AI, that is the most advanced and general purpose models. This may exclude some existing AI products that need inclusion within a governance framework. However, there are a range of events around the summit itself that should assist further discussion of relevant issues.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology posted more information about the summit on LinkedIn on 3 October 2023 here.
Programme for the UK AI Safety Summit
Today, 16 October 2023, the Programme for the UK AI Safety Summit has been published. Read it here.
For further information, the UK government has collated a number of links to pages about policy relating to the UK AI Safety Summit (AISS 2023) entitled Policy Updates – AISS 2023.
Results from the UK AI Safety Summit
Discussions on the first day (1 November 2023) have led to a declaration described as the Bletchley Declaration (because of its location Bletchley Park) which refers to a number of countries and international bodies involved in its preparation.
The Bletchley Declaration refers to the potential advantages of AI in many areas of human activity, but also refers to the potential risks. As such it brings the participants together to address these risks. What it does not do is define a specific programme for addressing these risks, or propose any legislation or regulatory body. This is in contrast to activities occuring elsewhere in the world.
We shall have to wait for the further consequences of these discussions.
How to find out more
To discuss what is now quite a large body of information available through the links above in advance of the Summit, or to follow up after the outcome is better understood, get in touch.