Let the British Write AI’s Rules
The UK is well placed to show how to regulate AI, but it mustn't ignore some of the field's most important experts.
Allow me.
Photographer: Bloomberg/BloombergIt’s hard not to cringe at UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s pronouncement that Britain should “lead the way” on AI regulation. After all, AI will impact the globe in different ways, and Brexit hasn’t exactly inspired confidence in British policymaking.
Yet Brexit is partly why the UK could fill this watchdog role successfully. AI is moving fast, threatening to create more bias and inequality in society, and governments need ideas for guidelines yesterday. Britain not only has the expertise and infrastructure to draw up rules around AI, it can move quickly, thanks in part by having thrown off the shackles of EU frameworks and obligations. By contrast, it’ll be another two years before the European Union’s AI Act comes into force, even though its Parliament voted almost unanimously in favor of it Wednesday. And while US senators are keen to set up an independent AI regulator, aggressive Silicon Valley lobbying makes that unlikely. Congress, after all, has never passed a federal law to regulate Big Tech.