The UK government has shared an update on the proposal to establish a “proportionate and pro-innovation framework for regulating AI” along with wider plans for supporting AI regulation across UK industries, including funding for AI projects and regulators and plans to launch a “single source of truth” on AI risks.
In order to support regulation of AI – and support the development of a central function to support regulator capabilities and coordination – the government shares that £10 million in funding is to be made available for regulators to develop capabilities and tools required to adapt and respond to AI. This funding is to “enable regulators to collaborate to create, adapt, and improve practical tools to address AI risks and opportunities within and across their remits”, as well as supporting research into “novel, actionable insights”.
Additionally, £19 million is being made available to support the second phase of the Accelerating Trustworthy AI competition, with 21 projects to be delivered through the Innovate UK BridgeAI programme with the aim of advancing adoption of “trusted and responsible” AI and machine learning.
A number of actions are set for spring this year, including plans to launch a targeted consultation on a cross-economy AI risk register, to “ensure it comprehensively captures the range of risks”. This will provide a single source of truth on AI risks which regulators, government departments and external groups will be able to use.
Other actions planned for spring include establishing steering committee with government representatives and key regulators, which will be designed to support knowledge exchange and coordination on AI governance; and publishing an ‘Introduction to AI’ assurance, with the aim of promoting the value of AI assurance and helping organisations to develop their understanding of the techniques for safe and trustworthy systems.
The government adds that lead AI Ministers have been established across all departments in order to bring together work on the risks and opportunities driven by AI across the sectors, and to oversee framework implementation. Alongside this, an inter-ministerial group is being developed “to drive effective coordination across government on AI issues”.
The update can be read in full here.
We recently interviewed Ricardo Baptista Leite, CEO at HealthAI, global agency for responsible AI and health, and founder and president of the UNITE
Last month we also took a look at some recently-published research into AI in health, from an exploration of ChatGPT’s role in diagnosis and treatment to proposed guiding principles for the design of optimal informed consent.
