Artificial intelligence (AI) could bring about a technological transformation “as far-reaching as the Industrial Revolution”, but new dangers must also be addressed, Rishi Sunak said.
For the first time, the government has published a report on the capabilities and risks that AI poses to the UK’s society and economy.
The report draws on various sources – including intelligence assessments – to evaluate the current state of “frontier AI” capabilities and how these might improve in the future, as well as the risks they present, including societal harms, misuse and loss of control.
“I genuinely believe that technologies like AI will bring a transformation as far-reaching as the Industrial Revolution, the coming of electricity or the birth of the internet,” Sunak said at the Royal Society.
But “it also brings new dangers and new fears. So the responsible thing for me to do is to address those fears head on giving you the peace of mind that we will keep you safe while making sure you and your children have all the opportunities for a better future that AI can bring.”
The paper will serve as a point of discussion at an AI safety summit in Bletchley Park next week that could help to shape the government’s policies around the burgeoning technology.
The summit will focus on risks including the misuse of AI by non-state actors to carry out cyber attacks or to design bioweapons, and the loss of control of AI, where systems may act autonomously in a way that does not align with the intentions or values of its original design.
Earlier this year, £100m was invested into an expert taskforce with a focus on the research and development of “safe and reliable” AI models.
The body is expected to focus on opportunities to “establish the UK as a world leader in foundation models” and their applications across the economy, and “acting as a global standard bearer for AI safety”.
“Doing the right thing, not the easy thing, means being honest with people about the risks from these technologies,” Sunak concluded.
Technology secretary Michelle Donelan said the upcoming summit marks “a watershed moment” for the UK, as it will be the first country to formally summarise the risks presented by AI.
“There is no question that AI can and will transform the world for the better, from making everyday tasks easier, to improving healthcare and tackling global challenges like world hunger and climate change,” she said. “But we cannot harness its benefits without also tackling the risks.”
