UK renames AI Security Institute, drops "safety" in pivot to cybersecurity

Would you rather be safe or secure?. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. The new Labour Government has gone all in on AI since taking power in 2024, and was supported by the UK’s AI Safety Institute (AISI) - but not for much longer. The institution will remain, but the government has announced that this will now be renamed to UK AI Security Institute - signalling a definite shift towards cybersecurity.

But what’s the difference? Well security is focused on defending against things like cyberattacks, and mitigating security risks including how the technology can be leveraged against national security or can enable crimes such as fraud or developing chemical weapons. Safety has a slightly wider scope - also aimed at mitigating the risks of cyberattacks, but going further to protect against misinformation spread by chatbots, and aims to assess the societal impacts of AI models, rather than just the immediate cybersecurity threats.

The UK’s widely publicised Plan for Change, released in January 2025, leant heavily on AI, introducing ‘Growth Zones’, handing public data over to train models, and aiming to see AI ‘mainlined into the veins’ of public services - but not once did the document mention the words ‘harm’, ‘safety’, or ‘threat’, TechCrunch noted. Despite these omissions, the work of the AI Security Institute is still the same, says Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Peter Kyle;.

“The work of the AI Security Institute won’t change, but this renewed focus will ensure our citizens – and those of our allies - are protected from those who would look to use AI against our institutions, democratic values, and way of life.”. As part of the new plan, the government has agreed to a new partnership with AI firm Anthropic, working to ‘realise the technology’s opportunities, with a continued focus on the responsible development and deployment of AI systems.’ This will include ‘insights’ on how AI can ‘transform public services and improve the lives of citizens’, as well as drive scientific development.

Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!. This is part of the UK’s ambition to attract tech investments from around the world - trying to foster an environment perfect for AI innovation, seemingly free of safety regulations. Ellen has been writing for almost four years, with a focus on post-COVID policy whilst studying for BA Politics and International Relations at the University of Cardiff, followed by an MA in Political Communication. Before joining TechRadar Pro as a Junior Writer, she worked for Future Publishing’s MVC content team, working with merchants and retailers to upload content.