UK AI minister says leave tech bros and oligarchs out of control
A shift on Industrial Revolution scale
The minister compared artificial intelligence with the Victorian-era Industrial Revolution, which transformed Britain from a mainly agricultural economy into industrial and manufacturing sectors between about 1750 and 1900. He said AI was comparable and, in some ways, went further.
He argued that Britain should manage the transition better than it did during that earlier period. The public and democratic institutions, he said, should assert power over how AI develops.
Building AI in Britain
The minister said regulation was one way to influence AI, alongside developing the technology in Britain rather than relying on work done abroad. He said domestic development could help shape working conditions. He also said conversations with Chancellor John Healey had suggested there might be an AI announcement in next week’s Budget, but gave no details.
AI tools and cyber risks
The government recently used frontier AI models outside Whitehall to examine cybersecurity issues. The minister said this work had found 500 new vulnerabilities in government systems.
Key points
- He compared AI’s effects with the Industrial Revolution and called for a better-managed transition.
- Frontier AI models were used to check government systems for cybersecurity issues.
- The minister hinted at a possible AI announcement in next week’s Budget without giving details.