In a significant move towards regulating artificial intelligence, King Charles announced on Wednesday that the UK’s new Labour government will introduce legislation aimed at placing requirements on the development of the most powerful AI models. This announcement was made during the first Parliament session under the new government.

“[The government] will seek to establish the appropriate legislation to place requirements on those working to develop the most powerful artificial intelligence models,” King Charles said, reiterating the Labour Party’s commitment to AI regulation following their landslide victory in the parliamentary elections on July 4.

The forthcoming AI regulation in the UK aligns the country more closely with the European Union, which has already taken significant steps to regulate the technology. However, details on the UK’s bill remain scant, and its approach may differ from the EU’s comprehensive 500-page AI Act. The mention of “requirements” suggests a departure from the previous Conservative government’s voluntary commitments.

The former Conservative government, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, had adopted a more laissez-faire approach, emphasizing a “pro-innovation” strategy. This included investments in an AI Safety Institute, public sector supercomputers, and other initiatives to guide sectoral agencies in governing AI within their domains. Sunak had stated in October 2023 that the UK should not rush to regulate AI despite its risks.

However, the Labour government appears poised to chart a new course in AI policy. Peter Kyle, the new Secretary for Science, Innovation, and Technology, announced the expansion of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) on July 8. This includes an incubator for AI technology and the creation of a Regulatory Innovation Office designed to streamline regulation and accelerate approval timelines.

Labour’s 2024 manifesto highlighted the need for regulators to adapt to the rapid development of new technologies that span traditional industries and sectors. The proposed cross-sectoral office aims to consolidate existing functions and support regulators in updating regulations promptly.

While Labour’s approach signals a shift towards more structured regulation, it is expected to be less stringent than the EU’s AI Act. The party has emphasized the importance of driving research and innovation in AI, proposing ten-year research budgets, easing planning barriers for data centers, and establishing a National Data Library for data sharing.

In terms of specific restrictions, Labour has committed to banning the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes, a common misuse of AI technology. The regulation will also target general-purpose AI systems, such as ChatGPT, a point of contention in the EU’s AI Act negotiations.

Gaia Marcus, director of the UK tech research organization Ada Lovelace Institute, stressed the importance of timely legislative action. “The government will need to maintain momentum and bring forward a bill as soon as is practicable,” Marcus stated in an email to Euractiv.

As the Labour government works on the AI regulation framework, the tech industry and stakeholders await further details and anticipate the potential impacts on innovation and regulatory practices in the UK.