Rishi Sunak espoused the positives and negatives of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in today’s Prime Minister’s speech at The Royal Society.
“Now, I’m unashamedly optimistic about the power of technology to make life better for everyone,” he opened with, citing positive developments like the use of AI at Moorfields Eye Hospital to diagnose blindness and even Parkinson’s.
“All that’s just the beginning!” he gushed, predicting “a transformation as far-reaching as the industrial revolution, the coming of electricity, or the birth of the internet”.
Then came the dangers.
Get this wrong, and AI could make it easier to build chemical or biological weapons. Terrorist groups could use AI to spread fear and destruction on an even greater scale. Criminals could exploit AI for cyber-attacks, disinformation, fraud, or even child sexual abuse.
“And in the most unlikely but extreme cases, there is even the risk that humanity could lose control of AI completely.
Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad, though Sunak, like the blue-blooded Conservative he is, made sure to espouse the dangers of overregulation too.
“The UK’s answer is not to rush to regulate. This is a point of principle. We believe in innovation. It’s a hallmark of the British economy, so we will always have a presumption to encourage it, not to stifle it,” he stated.
“And in any case, how can we write laws that make sense for something that we don’t yet fully understand?"
Sunak, however, did unveil plans for a pioneering UK AI safety institute, though he chose not to back a pause on the progression of AI tech, as some people, including Elon Musk, have suggested.
The prime minister highlighted that this institute would be unparalleled globally, assessing various AI risks, from misinformation creation to potential existential dangers.
Ahead of the upcoming global AI safety summit at Bletchley Park, Sunak emphasised the institute's role in enhancing global understanding of AI safety.
Shadow science secretary Peter Kyle has urged Sunak to “back up his words” on AI safety, telling Sky News: “Safety must come first to prevent this technology getting out of control. Rishi Sunak should back up his words with action and publish the next steps on how we can ensure the public is protected.
“We are still yet to see concrete proposals on how the government is going to regulate the most powerful AI models."