UK Government Looks To Regulate AI But Tech Businesses Aren’t Impressed!

Hello! Let’s talk about AI!

Does it feel like you’re reading too much about artificial intelligence? #BeenThereDoneThat

It’s no surprise given its multifaceted benefits and uses, which is seeing numerous companies and startups engage in the field to compete with each other and be the first in deploying the technology in nascent fields.

This is making quite a few people and governments nervous.

Surely, you’re not new to the letter that was doing the rounds calling to pause the advancement in AI technologies until we’re sure where it’s going – and whether it’s safe to go there.

The latest in the line to draw attention to the dangers of AI and work towards safeguarding it is the UK government, which is planning to host a global summit on artificial intelligence safety in autumn this year, according to the government website.

In its press release, the government said, “The summit, which will be hosted in the U.K. this autumn, will consider the risks of AI, including frontier systems, and discuss how they can be mitigated through internationally coordinated action. It will also provide a platform for countries to work together on further developing a shared approach to mitigate these risks.”

This is a thought shared by a few countries, with a discussion on the same by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and President Joe Biden docketed for their recent meeting, as the UK government looks to "bring together key countries, leading tech companies and researchers to agree safety measures to evaluate and monitor the most significant risks from AI".

Reportedly, some tech giants are also on board, praising the move.


On the other hand, there are some that aren’t impressed with the move to pause or regulate AI as it might stunt the progress or worse, offer adversaries an undue advantage.

Alexander Karp, Co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies, believes it’s only companies with “no products” looking forward to the pause.

Speaking to the BBC he said, "The race is on - the question is do we stay ahead or do we cede the lead?"

"It's not like if we slow down, the AI race will stop. Every country in the world - especially our adversaries - cannot afford for us to have this advantage,” he added, “Studying this and allowing other people to win both on commercial areas and on the battlefield is a really bad strategy."

Furthermore, he believes that the lead in AI has given Western countries commercial and military advantages that shouldn’t be forfeited to opponents, who may not hesitate to advance the tech.


While common folk and working individuals use AI to create art pieces, code, text and whatnot, businesses can benefit in numerous ways through AI applications. Do you think AI technology needs to be paused? Or will regulations slow down the pace of innovation and give an advantage to select businesses? Let us know in the comments below!