OpenAI has called for binding regulations for artificial intelligence developers in the UK. Tom Duff Gordon, the company's policy director for the EMEA region, stated in an interview that "the UK must act now to create a stronger set of safety regulations."
The Need for New Regulations
Duff Gordon noted that OpenAI is in a position to support legislation that establishes foundational and permanent requirements for advanced artificial intelligence. He advised the government of Andy Burnham to seize this political opportunity and pursue regulatory measures.
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The Labour government is under increasing pressure from lawmakers to address the risks of artificial intelligence. This pressure has intensified following the disclosure of safety incidents by leading companies in the field. Last week, a researcher from the AI company Anthropic resigned, accusing both that company and OpenAI of "gambling with our lives."
Conflicts and Challenges
In its 2024 election manifesto, the Labour Party has committed to "establish binding regulations for a limited number of companies that develop the most powerful AI models," but has retreated from the idea of comprehensive regulations, relying instead on sector-specific regulations and safety testing through voluntary collaborations with AI companies.
Duff Gordon emphasized that any legislation should focus on serious risks related to national and cyber security and include independent testing of models by third parties. He also stressed the need for special attention to cybersecurity and requirements for monitoring and reporting safety incidents.
He added that these regulations should set standards for testing models before their release and be designed to be suitable for "international synergies."
Duff Gordon stated that AI safety is likely to be on the agenda of future meetings between the President of the United States and the leader of China, and this is a very important dialogue. He added that the UK could have a strong and influential voice in the next stage of policymaking in this area.
He concluded by saying, "We believe that the UK is a leader in artificial intelligence, and we want this country to remain at the forefront of this new era of safety."
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