Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment they have made of the potential (a) threats and (b) opportunities of artificial intelligence in respect of their Department’s responsibilities.

As outlined in the Integrated Review, the UK is taking steps to secure our status as a Science and Tech Superpower by 2030, including by establishing a leading edge in critical areas such as artificial intelligence (AI). The FCDO is building international partnerships through the global Science and Innovation Network to unlock new breakthroughs in technology, and using UK aid to test how AI and other technologies can address these challenges - such as saving lives through the Hala early warning system that uses AI to identify and predict airstrikes in Syria. The FCDO further continues to work to mitigate the security and ethical risks posed by AI, by working with a range of stakeholders to develop inclusive and ethical approaches to AI, including prioritising individual rights, protecting data privacy, and avoiding harms resulting from automated decision-making.