Friday, May 19, 2023 at 3:00pm
World summits like the G7 currently being held in Japan are not just about nasty photo ops and bilateral diplomatic statements. For politicians, it is also an opportunity to strategize and deliver messages to foreign politicians and domestic audiences.
Contrary to what many expected when he took office as prime minister, Rishi Sunak has proven himself to be a sophisticated player on the international stage. He knows how these things work. So it’s no coincidence that he chose the G7 to suggest that the approach to AI regulation will lean a little more toward control and a little more toward free markets in the near future.
The prime minister acknowledged that the UK may need to work on new regulations to tackle AI, suggesting the government may need to reconsider its rather laissez-faire approach.
Back in March, the government formulated a strategy on artificial intelligence. He said AI companies should follow five “principles” instead of laws when developing technology. In that case, regulators would have to set the rules of the game.
There are some obvious problems with this approach. Relying on principle rather than law quickly shifts the issue into the realm of subjectivity and overcomplicates regulation. Principles include fairness, accountability and governance. But how do we define fairness, and who decides what is fair to whom in the world of technology?
Then there is the issue of task division. The regulators that the government believes will have a role in overseeing AI are the Office of Safety and Health, the Office of the Information Commissioner, the Office of Competitive Markets, Ofcom, and the Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. They all have different areas of expertise and experience, and when AI takes over their mandate, they will often have to work together. Regulators do not always work well together.
There is a clear logic behind this strategy. By favoring a fairly unregulated environment, the government believes it will lure into the UK market lucrative AI companies, tech start-ups and others who find the regulatory environment within the EU too stringent. These companies will innovate, drive growth, and generate revenue. Many large companies advocate this approach, and for good reason. The AI industry contributed her £3.7bn to the UK economy last year and employed more than 50,000 people.
But at the same time, several AI experts and industry insiders have warned of the dangers of letting AI grow unchecked and have their own explanations for the threats to the security of our businesses and democracies. . It is always difficult to balance regulation when new technologies emerge. We want our regulations to be flexible so that they can change as technology evolves, but we also need strong safeguards in case something goes very wrong.
Sunak’s comments at the G7 show that the UK government is at least readjusting. He will join European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in calling for stronger “guardrails” against AI development. He may finally understand that when it comes to things like AI, international cooperation is a necessity, not an option.
