The AI Safety Summit hosted by the UK in November faced criticism from Exeter MP Steve Race, labelling it a ‘damp squib’.
- Labour is distancing itself from the previous government’s tech policies, particularly regarding global AI regulation.
- The summit was criticised for lacking ‘follow through’ and failing to establish the UK as a global AI regulatory leader.
- Labour Digital plans a comprehensive ‘whole of society approach’ for future AI regulation initiatives.
- A follow-up event in California in November aims to address AI safety protocols discussed in earlier summits.
The AI Safety Summit held in the UK last November has been criticised by Labour MP Steve Race as a ‘damp squib’. He contends that the previous government’s attempts to position the UK as a leading force in global AI regulation through this summit did not translate into significant action or impact.
Speaking at the 2024 Labour Party Conference, Race emphasised that the UK’s historical prowess in regulation and its ‘trusted’ status positioned it well to lead global discussions on AI policy. However, he argued the summit lacked substantial ‘follow through’.
Fellow panellist Casey Calista, chair of Labour Digital, highlighted that the previous administration’s treatment of ‘civil society as an afterthought’ was a critical error. She advocates for a ‘whole of society approach’ that incorporates ‘diverse voices’ in the regulatory conversation.
Brittany Smith from OpenAI commented on the summit’s focus, stating it overly concentrated on long-term ‘existential risks’, neglecting immediate harms such as the deployment of flawed facial recognition technology that risks ‘ruining lives’.
In efforts to continue the dialogue, the UK is set to host a follow-up event in California in November. This event will aim to advance the discussion on implementing safety protocols previously deliberated upon at international AI Safety Institutes.
The AI Safety Summit is viewed by Labour as a missed opportunity for effective AI regulation leadership.
