AI Everywhere, Regulation Nowhere? Two Years of AI Policy in the UK
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- UK government prioritized AI adoption over regulation, resulting in a lack of dedicated AI regulatory framework.
- The UK refused to sign the Paris AI Safety Summit declaration, aligning with the US deregulation approach.
- Government initiatives like the AI Opportunities Plan and Parlex chatbot were criticized as hyperbole and ineffective.
- Massive government contracts awarded to US AI firms (Palantir, OpenAI) faced scrutiny over overblown benefits and phantom investments.
- Inappropriate uses of AI surged, including facial recognition bias, police misconduct, and flawed age checks for child migrants.
- AI regulation efforts stalled; a private member's bill in the Lords lacked government backing and went nowhere.
- The UK is now years behind the EU in AI regulation, lacking powerful tools like the Digital Services Act or a centralized regulator.