Online safety cannot be “pitted against economic investment”, the Science Secretary has said as he prepares to launch the UK’s AI action plan. Peter Kyle is set to unveil the Government’s plans for AI on Monday, setting out how the UK will encourage innovation while ensuring safety.
Speaking to the Observer, Mr Kyle said: “We need a concerted effort as a country to ensure now, while we’re still in the foothills, that we are laying the foundations. “I don’t want us to be a country that is always buying off the shelf from others. I want us to be at the cutting edge. We are the third largest AI market in the world, but we’re not touching the sides of our potential.”.
The details of the plan are yet to be announced, but Mr Kyle was adamant that attracting tech investment would not come at the cost of weakening safety standards. He said: “The threshold for these laws allows responsible free speech to a very, very high degree. But I just make this basic point: access to British society and our economy is a privilege, it’s not a right.
“And none of our basic protections for children and vulnerable people are up for negotiation… Safety is not something that is pitted against economic investment.”. The launch of the AI action plan comes as major American tech companies appear to be aligning themselves with incoming US president Donald Trump and pushing back against regulation around the world.
