Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department (a) is taking steps to (i) monitor and (ii) regulate and (b) has made a recent assessment of the implications for her policies of the development of artificial consciousness technology.

The AI Regulation White Paper proposes a proportionate, collaborative approach to AI regulation, and aims to promote innovation while protecting the UK’s values. Our approach is designed to ensure the Government is able to adapt and respond to the risks and opportunities that emerge as the technology develops at pace.

It is important to distinguish between AI as we define and understand it today, and concepts such as Artificial Consciousness and Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). As our AI Regulation White Paper sets out, AI systems are ‘trained’ – once or continually – and operate by inferring patterns and connections in data which are not always easily discernible to humans. This includes a spectrum of AI systems that perform specific and less-specific tasks, and includes forms of generative AI that are in use and under development currently. This is not the same as AGI, and there are different views amongst experts regarding the feasibility and timescales associated with AGI becoming a reality. Whilst people have argued that AGI and Artificial Consciousness are theoretically possible, many researchers disagree.

The Government is working with international partners to understand emerging technologies and AI trends, while promoting the UK’s values, including through key multilateral fora, such as the OECD, the G7, the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), the Council of Europe, and UNESCO, and through bilateral relationships.

The AI Regulation White Paper proposes a range of new central functions, including a horizon scanning function intended to support the anticipation assessment of emerging risks. This will complement the existing work undertaken by regulators and other government departments to identify and address risks arising from AI.

As set out in the white paper, the Government will continue to convene a wide range of stakeholders – including frontier researchers from industry – to ensure that we hear the full spectrum of viewpoints.