The UK government announced the introduction of an AI Bill during the King's Speech, in an expected move towards stricter regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
The bill marks a significant departure from the previous administration's flexible, principled framework and aims for binding regulations that ensure the responsible use of AI.
Simon Morris, vice president of solutions consulting at ServiceNow, highlighted the transformative potential of AI, saying, “As we enter an era where technology will augment human potential to unprecedented levels, it is more important than ever to ensure trust and responsibility within AI.” He added that a human-centric approach is needed to address issues such as bias and ensure AI delivers real value. Morris said AI systems should be inclusive, transparent, accountable and designed to work with humans, not replace them.
Jennifer Vericent, Principal Data Strategist at Snowflake, echoed the need for practical AI regulation. “We can't stop the development of AI because we know it will go underground,” she noted. “But equally, we can't and shouldn't not regulate AI.” Vericent emphasized the importance of internal governance alongside external regulation, saying granular access and usage policies are essential to ensure data security and responsible AI use.
Greg Hanson, Group Vice President, EMEA North, Informatica, commented on the expected regulatory changes: “This signals a shift from flexible, principles-based frameworks to binding regulations that mandate the responsible use of AI,” said Hanson. He emphasized the importance of companies demonstrating how they protect the integrity of their AI systems and large-scale language models. He also highlighted the need for transparency into the data used to train AI models and understanding the decisions these models make.
Arun Kumar, UK regional director at ManageEngine, sees AI as a turning point for AI regulation in the UK, providing the necessary guidance to prioritize trust and safety. “This bill will go a long way in addressing the risks that arise from the lack of expertise around this relatively new technology,” Kumar said. He further explained that the safety and control mechanism laws will help businesses use AI with confidence to drive growth and mitigate the associated risks.
From an investment perspective, Ecaterina Almask, general partner at Open Ocean, reflected on the potential impact on tech startups: “The government needs to tread carefully with the lives of UK tech startups. The previous government's 'light touch' approach had the benefit of avoiding entangling home-grown startups in a regulatory bind.” However, Almask recognises the importance of aligning with international AI regulations to foster interoperability and provide a clear regulatory framework, which could boost investment.
Bill Wilson, Chief Sustainability Officer and Head of Data & Intelligence Solutions at NTT Data UK&I, highlighted the benefits of the proposed AI regulation. He said: “Regulation promotes best practice and a level playing field. Fundamental legislation has the potential to address the public's top concerns about AI while building trust in its legitimate and benign use.” Wilson warned that excessive protective measures could stifle UK competitiveness, and stressed the need for a balanced approach that supports innovation while ensuring responsible use of AI.
As the UK government prepares to introduce its AI Bill, industry experts suggest a mix of cautious optimism and strong support for balanced, human-centric regulation. The upcoming legislative framework aims to enhance public trust and safety, promote investment stability, and encourage the responsible development and deployment of AI technologies across sectors.
