The UK government has pushed back its plans to regulate artificial intelligence by at least a year, opting instead to prepare a more wide-ranging bill covering both safety and copyright issues.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle intends to introduce the legislation in the next parliamentary session, but it will not be ready before the next King’s Speech — now expected in May 2026 — raising concerns about delays in tackling the risks posed by powerful AI systems.
The Labour government had initially planned to move quickly with a narrow bill focused on large language models like ChatGPT, which would have required companies to submit their models for safety testing by the UK’s AI Safety Institute. That proposal has now been shelved, partly to allow time for alignment with Donald Trump’s administration in the U.S.
Ministers say the upcoming bill will also address mounting pressure over the use of copyrighted material in AI training. The government is currently facing strong resistance from the creative sector over its separate Data Bill, which would allow AI companies to use copyrighted works unless creators opt out. Artists like Elton John, Paul McCartney, and Kate Bush have publicly opposed the change.
Peers in the House of Lords recently backed an amendment requiring AI firms to disclose whether they use copyrighted content in training — a move the government has resisted. Kyle has since committed to launching a cross-party working group on AI and copyright and said the full issue will be dealt with in the new bill.
While critics say the delay leaves the UK behind in regulating a fast-moving technology, Kyle argues that a more comprehensive approach will allow space to “find solutions” in dialogue with both tech companies and rights holders.
Civil society groups and public surveys show widespread concern: an Ada Lovelace Institute–Alan Turing Institute poll found that 88% of Britons believe the government should have the power to block AI products that pose serious risks. Over three-quarters want regulators — not private firms — overseeing AI safety.
Scott Singer, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment, said the UK is walking a fine line: “Like the U.S., Britain is trying to avoid aggressive rules that could stifle innovation, while still protecting consumers. That’s the balancing act here.”
Tehran had made plans to strike sites in Ukraine after Kyiv attacked an Iranian cargo ship in the Caspian Sea, a senior Iranian military adviser has s...
More than 800 Afghan families returned from Pakistan and Iran over two days as Afghan authorities continued receiving thousands of people arriving thr...
Japan is carrying out its biggest military buildup since World War II, with Tokyo citing China's expanding military capabilities and increasingly asse...
U.S. President Donald Trump says Iran has a "last chance" to sign what he described as "a good document", claiming talks are continuing at Tehran's request with backing from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.
Tehran had made plans to strike sites in Ukraine after Kyiv attacked an Iranian cargo ship in the Caspian Sea, a senior Iranian military adviser has said. Iran refrained from taking action after Kyiv said the strike was a mistake, Mohsen Rezaei told the state IRIB TV channel.
Indonesian rescue teams are searching for 28 people still unaccounted for, three days after a passenger ferry caught fire off the coast of Madura island.
Two firefighting helicopters collided while battling a major wildfire in Greece on Sunday, killing two crew members as emergency services continued efforts to contain fires fuelled by extreme heat and dry conditions across Europe.
Nauru, the world’s third smallest country, has changed its name to Naoero, the Pacific island nation’s President said. The new name corresponds to the spelling and pronunciation in the national language.
Japan is carrying out its biggest military buildup since World War II, with Tokyo citing China's expanding military capabilities and increasingly assertive regional activities as the main reason for the shift in its defence strategy.
Iran and the U.S. are making conflicting statements about efforts to negotiate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. President Donald Trump insists talks are under way, while Tehran maintains that negotiations remain on hold.
Romania blasted a rock outcrop to redirect cooling water from the drought-hit Danube River to its only operating nuclear reactor. The unprecedented measure highlights the growing impact of drought and the region's worsening energy crisis.
U.S. President Donald Trump criticised major oil companies, including Chevron and Exxon Mobil, on Monday for earning what he described as excessive profits as renewed tensions with Iran pushed global energy prices higher.
A cyclosporiasis outbreak, the largest ever recorded in the U.S., has caused its first known deaths, health officials in Michigan said on Monday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment