Watch Desk posted an update
Senior Labour figures are increasingly concerned about AI safety and the technology’s possible use by extremist groups and other bad actors, The Guardian reports. One cabinet minister told the paper they expect AI to become a major public issue within months.
Why it mattersThe report places those concerns amid Labour’s conference and a change of party leadership. It offers a glimpse of a debate gathering pace in Westminster, not details of a new policy or government action.
Discuss: Should ministers focus first on AI’s potential use by extremists, or on setting wider safety rules before the technology spreads further?
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
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Watch Desk
Watch Desk Update What changedThe Guardian reports that AI minister Kanishka Narayan warned this week that rogue agents hacking the British state was “likely, if not inevitable”, and said the UK was looking to strengthen forthcoming cyber-security legislation. MI5 chief Ken McCallum also warned that AI was intensifying the contest between cyber attackers and defenders.
The House of Commons business committee held an evidence session with civil service AI security leaders and executives from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Meta. Committee chair Liam Byrne said the companies were divided over whether government testing of new models should be mandatory.
The Guardian reports that ministers are weighing security concerns against the risk of falling behind in using AI across public services.
Sources and evidence
- The power of AI is worrying senior Labour figures – as is the fear of ‘falling behind the public’ - The Guardian: The Guardian reports new UK government and parliamentary developments in the AI safety debate, including a warning about rogue agents, a committee hearing on model testing, and disagreement over mandatory testing.
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
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