The UK’s approach to AI is too narrowly focused on AI safety and the threats it could pose rather than the benefits of the technology, meaning it could “miss out on the AI gold rush”, a House of Lords Committee has warned.
The technology will produce era-defining changes comparable to the invention of the internet, the Lords Communications and Digital Committee said in a major report on AI and large language models (LLMs) that power generative AI tools such as ChatGPT.
But he warned that the UK must rebalance its approach to the issue, taking into account the opportunities that artificial intelligence can offer, otherwise it will lose its international influence and become strategically dependent on overseas technology firms for a technology that is expected to play a key role. In daily life for years to come.
He said some “apocalyptic” concerns about AI’s threats to human existence were overblown and should not distract policymakers from responding to more pressing problems.
The UK hosted the first AI Security Summit at Bletchley Park in November; where the Government met with representatives from more than 25 countries, as well as the UN and the EU, to discuss the long-term threats of technology. In addition to posing an existential threat to humans, it also helps criminals carry out more sophisticated cyberattacks or be used by bad actors to develop biological or chemical weapons.
Both Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Technology Minister Michelle Donelan said governments and technology firms must first “address the risks” for the UK to reap the benefits of AI.
The report called for mandatory security testing for high-risk AI models and a greater focus on security by design, while calling on the Government to take action to prioritize open competition and transparency in the AI market, warning that failure to do so would result in a small number of cases. Many of the largest technology companies are consolidating control of the growing market and suppressing new players in the industry.
The committee welcomed the Government’s work to position the UK as an AI leader, including hosting the AI Security Summit, but said a more positive vision for the sector was needed to reap the social and economic benefits.
The report called for more support for AI start-ups, more work to support computing infrastructure and develop digital skills, as well as further exploration of the potential for an “in-house” independent UK major language model.
Baroness Stowell, Chair of the Lords’ Communications and Digital Committee, said: “The rapid development of AI Big Language Models is likely to have a profound impact on society comparable to the introduction of the internet.
“This makes it vital that the Government gets its approach right and does not miss opportunities; especially if one is wary of remote and improbable risks. We need to address risks to take advantage of opportunities, but we need to be proportionate and practical. We must prevent the UK from missing out on a potential AI onslaught.
“One of the lessons from the evolution of technology markets since the dawn of the Internet is the danger of market dominance by a small group of companies. The government must ensure that exaggerated predictions of an AI-driven apocalypse from some tech firms do not lead to policies that shut down open-source AI development or exclude innovative smaller players from developing AI services.
“In an area where regulators will struggle to keep up with rapidly evolving technology, we must be careful to avoid regulatory takeover by established technology companies.
“There are risks associated with the wider dissemination of LLMs. The most worrying of these is the possibility of making existing malicious actions faster and easier, from cyberattacks to manipulation of images for the purpose of sexual exploitation of children. The government should focus on how these can be overcome and not be distracted by science fiction end-of-the-world scenarios.
“One of the AI disruptions that can and should be addressed immediately is the use of copyrighted materials in graduate education. Masters need to use huge datasets to work properly, but that doesn’t mean they can use any material they can find without permission or paying rights holders for the privilege. This is an issue that the Government can and should resolve quickly.
“These issues will be of great importance in the coming years and we expect the Government to act on the concerns we have raised and take the necessary steps to make the most of the opportunities ahead.”
In response to the report, a spokesperson for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said: “We do not accept this; the UK is a clear leader in AI research and development and as a Government we already support it.” The limitless potential of AI to improve lives; is pouring millions of pounds into delivering solutions that will transform healthcare, education and business growth, including our newly announced Artificial Intelligence Opportunity Forum.
“The future of artificial intelligence is safe artificial intelligence. Only by addressing the risks of today and tomorrow can we capitalize on incredible opportunities and attract more jobs and investment from this new wave of technology.
“That’s why we’ve spent more money on security research through the AI Security Institute than any other government, and we support a pro-innovation approach to AI regulation.”