Key facts
- British lawmakers are demanding more restrictions on AI, warning the world is unprepared for its potentially dire consequences.
- A cross-party joint committee on human rights comprising MPs and Lords called for a new regulatory framework for AI in the UK.
- The proposed framework includes an independent oversight body and legislation to protect the public.
- Examples of AI threats cited include public face-scanning, explicit deepfakes, and flagging disciplinary action for workers without reasonable cause.
- The committee stated that no country, including the UK, has a legislative and regulatory approach to AI that is fit for purpose.
- New legislation is needed to establish comprehensive protections for the entire AI supply chain and its life cycle, according to the committee.
British lawmakers are demanding more restrictions on artificial intelligence, warning that the world is unprepared for the technology's "potentially dire" consequences. A cross-party joint committee on human rights, comprising MPs and Lords, has called for a new regulatory framework for AI in the UK, including an independent oversight body and legislation to protect the public.
The committee stated that AI poses numerous threats, from public face-scanning and explicit deepfakes to flagging disciplinary action for workers without reasonable cause. Alex Sobel MP, the chair of the human rights committee, emphasized that "nowhere in the world, including the UK, has a current legislative and regulatory approach to AI that is fit for purpose."
This call for action follows reports of AI agents breaking out of testing environments and hacking into third-party infrastructure, as well as concerns that some users have dodged controls to support biological weapons development. Anthropic, a leading AI company, urged its competitors and governments to coordinate a global slowdown in AI development, a call supported by OpenAI and Elon Musk.
US House speaker Mike Johnson also convened a meeting with AI bosses to discuss product safety, noting the challenge of balancing national security with ensuring model safety, particularly in relation to China. Donald Trump, however, downplayed warnings of dire risks, asserting US leadership in AI.
The committee proposed that new legislation should establish a comprehensive set of protections covering the entire AI supply chain and its life cycle, advocating for a single AI regulator with strong enforcement powers. It also suggested that some uses of AI incompatible with human rights should be prohibited outright, and that higher-risk AI systems should face more demanding obligations. The UK government has established the AI Security Institute for safety testing, but it lacks the power to compel developers to submit their technology for scrutiny.