Is the newly appointed PM about to introduce groundbreaking UK AI law?

With millions of users now utilising the powers of ChatGPT, it’s clear artificial intelligence (AI) will touch many industries and businesses across the UK as well as consumers, as it continues to rapidly develop.

With such fast advancement, there is a clear need for safeguards. The EU has already introduced the EU AI Act, setting strict rules around the use of AI.

In a recent Financial Times article, the UK's new Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, appears ready to introduce a landmark AI regulation bill in the upcoming King's Speech on Wednesday, 17th July.

This initiative reportedly aims to position the UK as a leader in ethical AI governance and forms part of a broader agenda comprising 35 new pieces of legislation, including creating rules for the development of advanced machine-learning models.

What could a proposed AI Bill look like? It could focus on several important areas including ethical standards, transparency and accountability, and safety and security of AI.

Rob Cobley, Commercial Partner commented:

We need more harmonisation to help navigate what will become increasingly complex, cross-border compliance challenges if we want to ensure the responsible governance and adoption of AI.

We’ll be keenly following what a new UK AI Bill will look like, how closely we will follow the EU’s strict approach on the regulation of AI, and what this could mean for businesses deploying AI tools. We can expect any UK-specific AI legislation to be intentionally aligned with the EU's regulations, but subtle differences may offer opportunity.

As a business using AI, remember to be vigilant of the legislative landscape and any upcoming legal rules you need to comply with, particularly where your development of AI tools is a significant investment.

It remains to be seen what the bill will introduce and how the technology industry will react to regulation and any new restrictions.

If you need legal support or advice on deploying AI tools or policies in your business, contact our commercial law team for help.