The UK and the US have enacted a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) pertaining to AI safety. The agreement, signed by US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and UK Tech Minister Michelle Donelan, is regarded by the latter as being integral to addressing AI, deemed the “defining technology challenge of our generation.” A product of commitments previously made at the 2023 Bletchley Park AI Safety Summit, the MOU will accentuate the efforts of AI Safety Institutes based in both countries.
These institutes, established following the summit, intend to evaluate all AI systems, open and closed-source. Secretary Raimondo expressed belief in the partnership’s ability to address a spectrum of risks posed by AI technology, stating that it reflects their commitment to confront concerns as opposed to evading them. Joint efforts, owing to the agreement, will include safety evaluations, testing exercises, expertise sharing, and “red teaming.”
Donelan envisages a safer future for AI, contending that collaborative actions can help mitigate risks associated with the technology, thereby maximizing its potential benefits to society. Current regulations governing AI are not uniform, but are instead a miscellaneous collection of voluntary frameworks and agreements. Last year, President Biden extended an optional safety framework to tech companies such as Adobe, IBM, Nvidia, and Salesforce, joining pre-existing participants like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI. Despite the increasing number of voluntary commitments from firms, there’s skepticism regarding their effectiveness due to the tech industry’s historically poor track record in self-regulation.
The latest US-UK agreement is potentially a game-changer for the UK, which currently has scarcely any AI regulation due to Brexit and the consequential absence of the European Union’s AI Act. This Act, undergoing a phased rollout, requires transparency and risk assessment for AI systems. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak suggested a “pro-innovation” approach in the country, potentially signaling a deregulated environment.
This bilateral agreement veers the UK away from the EU’s regulatory environment. Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt had indicated earlier intentions to foster an American-inspired tech industry in the UK. However, despite these aspirations, the UK has yet to produce a successful AI startup that can compete with those in the US or elsewhere in Europe. The recent MOU signifies a crucial step not only towards AI safety but also potentially in developing a thriving tech industry in the UK.
