One of the UK’s leading AI legal voices has called for a tighter AI focus and better grip on the technology in the wake of UK Prime Minster Rishi Sunak’s Bletchley Park ‘AI Safety Summit’.
According to Mark Deem, co-author of ‘AI on Trial‘ a best-selling book on AI regulation and a partner at the top law firm Wiggin, Sunak’s much trumpeted initiative fell dangerously short of its objective because of an attempt to hijack the conference for political ends.
Concentrate on proper AI debate
“Artificial Intelligence is not a bandwagon, and nor is it a tool for political opportunism or virtue signalling. Artificial Intelligence or more correctly, machine learning, is too important for that because of the role it plays in our lives and the power it confers on governments and companies.
“As we have realised from the attention Machine Learning is now receiving, our politicians are belatedly waking up to that. It is a technology that urgently needs effective, appropriate regulation. Unfortunately, what we have seen during the last two weeks has been political manoeuvring by the Biden administration and the UK as each tries to assert control over the technology that will define the 21st century,” said Deem.
Need for proper AI focus
Deem, co-author of ‘AI on Trial’ with Future Intelligence Editor and founder Peter Warren, has joined a chorus of critical voices from the high-tech world accusing the UK Prime Minister of missing an opportunity, a topic explored in Future Intelligence’s forthcoming ‘Transparency’ TV programme and in Wednesday’s ‘PassW0rd‘ radio show.
Many of those interviewed by Future Intelligence accused the Prime Minister of seeking to exploit the summit for his own political objectives. Charges that ranged from trying to obtain a future job in Silicon Valley like the former Deputy Prime Minster in David Cameron’s administration Nick Clegg, who now works for Meta/Facebook, to focussing on AI to divert attention from domestic issues.
It what was seen by many as an ingratiating interview with Elon Musk, a number of Sunak critics claimed it was a clear attempt by the Prime Minister to show he was keen to obtain a future role in AI in the US.
While many AI experts, said that Sunak’s focus on headline grabbing topics such as the threat to humanity due to the emergence of a sentient and self-aware AI missed an opportunity to get to grips with many much more pressing issues such as data ownership.
Future Intelligence has made a number of radio programmes on the issues surrounding AI.
