UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to address tech leaders on Monday during the start of London Tech Week, urging them to recognise and embrace the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence (AI) in order for Britain to maintain its position as a leading tech capital.
In advance extracts released by his office, Sunak emphasised the shifting landscape of technology, stating, “We must act – and act quickly – if we want not only to retain our position as one of the world’s tech capitals…but to go even further, and make this the best country in the world to start, grow and invest in tech businesses.”
Recognising the need for urgency and responsibility, Sunak outlined his goal of seizing the potential that lies within the tech sector and ensuring Britain’s dominance in the field. Governments worldwide are grappling with the challenge of balancing the evaluation and control of AI’s potential negative consequences without stifling innovation.
In March, Britain made the decision to divide regulatory responsibility for AI among existing bodies that oversee human rights, health and safety, and competition, instead of establishing a dedicated AI regulatory entity. Sunak will highlight the government’s focus on nurturing the tech sector to drive economic growth and outline plans for collaboration with businesses to harness the transformative power of technologies like AI, which has been likened to the advent of the internet.
During a recent visit to Washington, Sunak announced that later this year, Britain will host a global summit on AI safety. The summit aims to address the risks associated with AI and explore methods of international coordination to mitigate these risks.
Sunak will emphasise the extraordinary possibilities that AI presents but also stress the importance of ensuring safety in its development. He will express his ambition to position the UK as not only the intellectual home but also the geographical home of global AI safety regulation.