Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to introduce a highly anticipated artificial intelligence bill this week, fulfilling Labour’s promise to establish binding regulations for advanced machine-learning models. This AI bill is among the 35 pieces of legislation slated for the King’s Speech on Wednesday. Sources close to the plans reveal that the bill aims to strengthen legal safeguards around the most advanced AI technologies, particularly focusing on large language models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Key Legislative Proposals
- House of Lords Reform: Proposals to eliminate hereditary peers.
- Economic Transparency: Granting the Office for Budget Responsibility authority to independently publish significant fiscal forecasts.
- Worker Rights: Implementing reforms to address zero-hours contracts and “fire and rehire” practices.
- Education: Establishing a register for children missing from schools.
- Cybersecurity: Introducing a bill to safeguard critical infrastructure from foreign threats.
Starmer’s legislative agenda will be closely scrutinized to assess his ambition during the initial months of his leadership, a period seen as his peak in power.
Shifting AI Regulation Strategies
The AI bill represents a significant departure from the approach of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who preferred voluntary agreements with companies over strict regulations to avoid stifling industry growth. In contrast, the European Union has taken a tougher stance with its Artificial Intelligence Act, approved by the European Parliament in March.
Last week, the Tony Blair Institute hosted a conference on AI’s potential to revolutionize government and public services, featuring Labour cabinet members. Tony Blair emphasized the need to build on the AI Safety Summit held at Bletchley Park, stating, “we need to build on this fast,” and that the government must learn a “new language” to fully harness AI’s potential.
Labour’s AI Regulatory Framework
Labour’s manifesto commits to “ensure the safe development and use of AI models by introducing binding regulation on the handful of companies developing the most powerful AI models.” Peter Kyle, the new technology and science secretary, has expressed hopes to introduce a “statutory code” compelling companies to release “all of their test data” and disclose “what they are testing for.”
Regulators, including the UK competition watchdog, have raised concerns about AI’s potential harms, from algorithmic biases affecting marginalized groups to the creation of harmful materials through general-purpose models.
Broader Legislative Focus
Leader of the House of Commons, Lucy Powell, emphasized the importance of the 35 bills included in the King’s Speech, stating they are “not just a shopping list of things we’d quite like to do, these are fully considered, worked-up bills that we know we can get through in this parliamentary session.”
Recent Developments
With these legislative initiatives, Labour aims to tackle both technological challenges head-on, setting a forward-looking agenda for the nation.
