UK AI โขRegulation โฃfaces Scrutiny as Public Demands Oversight, Businesses Seek Clarity
LONDON – Callsโ for robust AI regulation are intensifying โขin the UK, with new polling revealing overwhelming public support for a dedicated regulator and statutory powers to โฃoversee the rapidly โevolving technology. The push for โฃclearer rules comes as ministers grapple with balancing innovation and safety, and businesses cite regulatory uncertainty as a drag on growth, despite โrecent optimism regarding the UK’s attractiveness as a tech hub.Shadow Technology Secretary Peter Kyle recently advocated for changes to proposed AI regulations to โbetter support UK businesses, acknowledging the current lack of preparedness. “I don’t think we’re ready today. I don’t โฃthink we’re โeven close,” Kyle stated on the ControlAI podcast, echoing โconcernsโฃ voiced by OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman who warnedโค of potentiallyโฃ catastrophic risks from unchecked AI advancement.
Recent YouGov polling demonstrates โimportent public appetite forโ oversight: 79% of Brits supportโฃ the creation of a UK AI regulator.โข The survey โคfurther revealed 96% want audits of powerful AI systems, 90% back pre-approval before training “frontier models,” and 95% desireโข theโ authority to shut down unsafe AI. Notably, only 9% of the public trust tech executives to prioritize national safety concerns.
The existing Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (AISI), launched by the โขprevious Conservative government, enjoys broad public support – with 75% backing statutory โฃregulatory powers – but currently operates without such authority. This reflects a broader tension between the UK’s ambition to beโค a โglobal AI innovation hub and the politically sensitive task of implementing thorough โlegislation.
Ben Bilsland of โRSM UK cautioned that whileโฃ streamlining approvals is welcome, “there’s โขdanger โof overselling what AI can deliver.Regulators need the resources and independence to use these toolsโ responsibly.” Despite this uncertainty, a โBarclaysโค survey โฃfound 62% โคof โฃexecutives now view the UK as a more attractive base for their businesses than Europe.