Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Henry Smith Excerpts
Wednesday 17th April 2024

(2 weeks, 1 day ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nia Griffith Portrait Dame Nia Griffith (Llanelli) (Lab)
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6. What steps the Government is taking to regulate AI.

Henry Smith Portrait Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)
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10. What steps her Department is taking to regulate artificial intelligence.

Michelle Donelan Portrait The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Michelle Donelan)
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In our White Paper on AI regulation we set out our ambitious pro-regulation, pro-innovation framework, outlining five cross-sectoral principles to be applied by existing regulators. In February we published our response, setting out how we are supporting regulators to deliver the framework and strengthen our global AI leadership. That includes new funding and guidance for our regulators, and we have established a central risk function to support.

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Michelle Donelan Portrait Michelle Donelan
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The hon. Member is getting confused between regulation and legislation. We already have a plethora of regulation and world-leading regulators that we are supporting. We were clear in our White Paper response that we will legislate—as will every nation around the world—but we want to get that legislation right. She commented on the US’s approach. We are working hand in glove with the US, and I signed the world’s first memorandum of understanding on AI institutes just a few weeks ago.

Henry Smith Portrait Henry Smith
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What assessments have the Government made of the United Nation’s plans to internationally regulate artificial intelligence? What are the implications for UK sovereign security?

Michelle Donelan Portrait Michelle Donelan
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The UK Government are committed to unlocking the opportunities of AI, while mitigating the risks. That requires both domestic and international action. The UK is a leading voice internationally, having hosted the AI Safety Summit, which delivered the world-first Bletchley declaration, as well as actively participating at the UN. That includes our proactive role shaping UNESCO recommendations on AI ethics.