Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that Britain must act quickly to remain its status as a tech capital to grasp artificial intelligence's opportunities and challenges by doing it safely. He aims for the country to be the geographical home of global AI safety regulation.
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British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak takes part in a joint-press conference with US President Joe Biden in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 8, 2023.
Maintaining Tech Capital Status
United Kingdom's industry leaders will be warned by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that the nation must act quickly to retain its position being one of the world's tech capital. According to a report from Bloomberg, his office released the advance extracts of his speech as he will speak at the of the 10th London Tech Week.
He wants the country not only to be the intellectual home but the geographical home of global AI safety regulation. "Already we've seen AI help the paralyzed to walk, and discover superbug-killing antibiotics - and that's just the beginning. The possibilities are extraordinary. But we must - and we will - do it safely. I want to make," he added.
Sunak will say that he will keep up his efforts to push the country in leading the global regulation for artificial intelligence. Given that the tectonic plates of technology are shifting, the prime minister aims to go further and make this the best country in the world to start, grow, and invest in the tech business.
The AI sector is at the heart of his priority to grow the economy and will outline through his speech how the government will work with businesses to capitalize on opportunities presented by the transformative technology. He compared artificial intelligence's proponents with the arrival of the internet.
His speech will be followed by a "fireside chat" with London-based Google DeepMind Chief Executive Officer Demis Hassabis.
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Instead of creating a new government sector dedicated to this matter, the UK opted to split regulatory responsibility for AI last March between those bodies that look after human rights, health and safety, and competition.
Aside from the UK, other governments around the world have been trying to find a balance where they can asses and investigate AI's potential negative consequences without stifling innovation, which is PM Sunak's goal. National News reported that he feels a sense of urgency and responsibility for AI, making sure that the government will regulate and seize it.
Previous AI Discussions
PM Sunak aims for the country to have a larger role in the debate on artificial intelligence and harbor hopes of building global regulators in London. He previously discussed this matter with United States President Joe Biden in his visit to the White House only last week.
Reuters reported that Sunak also talked about hosting a global summit on AI safety later this year to consider the potential risks and dangers of the technology and ways how to mitigate them through internally coordinated action.
Related Article: UK to Host World's First Summit on AI Later This Year
