Tag: AI

Wide-ranging AI Bill needed to address severe human rights risks posed by AI, says Westminster committee

WESTMINSTER’s Joint Committee on Human Rights has called for a new AI Bill to address the scale and seriousness of threats posed to human rights by artificial intelligence systems.

In a report published today, the Committee sets out a range of human rights risks that the existing regulatory and legal framework are ill-equipped to prevent or respond to. It calls for a new regime of safeguards that can address the complexity of AI supply chains and speed at which new systems develop.

Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, Alex Sobel MP said: “AI is heralded as an unprecedented era of technological development with the potential to transform our lives for better or for worse.

“It is moving with such speed and complexity that its impact is hard to accurately predict. What is clear is that at present we are unprepared to deal with its consequences however potentially dire they may be.

“Nowhere in the world, including the UK, has a current legislative and regulatory approach to AI that is fit for purpose. New legislation is needed to establish a comprehensive set of protections that deal with the entire AI supply chain and its lifecycle. A single AI regulator should be established to set policy, monitor performance and with the teeth to ensure enforcement.

“We also recognise that AI has the potential to provide great benefits to society, including improving how human rights are protected. That is why it will be important to ensure that regulation is proportionate and targets the areas of AI development and usage that pose the greatest risks.

“Fundamentally, this is about making sure that you, as an individual, know when AI is being used in the decisions that affect you. We also want to make sure that if something does go wrong then avenues of redress will be available. We need these protections in now, it cannot wait until fear human rights risks become reality.”

Existing laws and regulation

UK laws that could apply to AI do so primarily at the point of deployment, leaving the responsibility on its users rather than its designers. Regulators lack the power to test and evaluate AI systems before they are released or to prevent their release if they are considered to pose unacceptable risks. Model developers engage with the AI Security Institute on a voluntary basis and it has no statutory power.

The current legal framework that applies to AI is fragmented and difficult to navigate. It relies on harm-specific and sector-specific legislation leaving gaps in protection which fails to address preventable human rights risks. 

The right of an individual to seek effective remedy against decisions made against them is endangered by the use of AI. Insufficient transparency concerning how AI systems are used in decision making and a lack of effective mechanisms to challenge those decisions threatens the rights of people in the UK.

The risks of AI harms are particularly acute for already minoritised communities, including Black and Minority Ethnic people. As well, the right to privacy is under serious threat.

To address the global nature of AI harms, governments need to collaborate to identify risks and promote consistent standards. The UK should continue to play a leading role in international AI summits and seek to be party to international declarations and agreements on AI safety.

New AI Bill

A new Bill should take a risk-based approach to addressing AI harms. Low risk AI systems should be subject to fewer and less demanding legal requirements. Legislation should not place unjustified burdens on businesses, to enable UK companies to innovate and take advantage of the benefits AI can offer.

The AI Bill should establish a regulatory regime that classifies different risk levels and mandate more demanding obligations for higher risk AI systems and models. Obligations should be placed on all stages of the AI lifecycle, ensuring those responsible in the supply chain for designing, amending and utilising AI systems are aware of their obligations and they are effectively addressed.

Some uses of AI should be prohibited outright because they are incompatible with human rights. Potential areas for action include subliminal techniques, and inappropriate use of profiling or biometric data.

There should be a public consultation over the detail of what is prohibited. Other AI systems posing a high risk of causing human rights harms should require prior approval. 

Legislation should place requirements on actors at all stages of the supply chain to undertake due diligence necessary to prevent an unacceptable risk to human rights when designing, developing or deploying AI systems. The requirements should be graded based on their role in the supply chain and the gravity of the risk posed.

Mandatory transparency requirements should be in force across the AI lifecycle. AI systems that can have significant impacts on individuals, groups and communities should include an obligation to state when AI systems are being used and how.

Data protection law provides specific safeguards for when automated decision making is used. The needs to be greater clarity in the law to ensure these safeguards operate effectively in practice. UK GDPR rules should be strengthened to ensure there are robust protections against the mis-use of automated decision making.

The mere presence of a ‘human in the loop’ is not sufficient to constitute meaningful human involvement or intervention.

Urgent action is needed to close gaps in the regulatory framework which is currently fragmented and difficult to navigate. A single, independent AI oversight body should be established on a statutory basis.

The body would act as the central point of contact for raising concerns about the use of AI and carry out oversight and monitoring of AI harms and risks. It should have strong powers to hold AI providers to account including setting codes of practice, transparency requirements and the power to sanction wrongdoing.

New partnership between UK government, industry and trade unions to ‘better support young people entering the job market’

Entry-level jobs support, AI bootcamps and tech training as government ‘supports young people into the jobs of the future’

  • More support to get young people into their first jobs through launch of new partnership to reshape entry-level jobs in sectors exposed to AI
  • 400,000 young people across the most disadvantaged schools in the UK will get AI and tech training to help them into further education, training and employment after school
  • New AI bootcamps scheme to be rolled out nationwide in England starting with a pilot in the North West this summer

Young people entering the job market will be better supported into their first roles thanks to a new partnership between government, industry and trade unions to look at how AI is impacting entry level roles.

The Early Careers Jobs Alliance will bring together government, employers, trade unions and young people, co-chaired by Prospect’s General Secretary Mike Clancy and the government’s AI Champion for the Digital and Technologies sector, Katie Gallagher OBE. With the aim of supporting people to get into the workplace, learn on the job and build enriching careers.

Backed by £20 million, it will map how entry-level work is changing, producing practical help for businesses on how to redesign roles while maintaining entry-level pathways, and identifying early examples of good practice.

This will start in the Digital and Technologies sector, due to its high exposure and uptake of AI in digital and tech businesses, with plans for this to then roll out across all 8 Industrial Strategy sectors.

The alliance will publish an initial report this autumn, setting out early evidence and examples of best practice to inform future work.

Announced by the Technology Secretary Liz Kendall today, the plans are part of government efforts to break down barriers for young people, ensure growth and opportunity are felt all across the country, and that everyone can seize the opportunities of technology and AI.

Through TechFirst, the government’s nationwide tech skills programme, at least 400,000 students from some of the most disadvantaged schools will be supported to take up AI and tech skills in efforts to ensure opportunities are provided to those who need them the most.

They’ll take part in TechFirst’s skills sessions, school competitions and extra-curricular activities, and industry engagement events – to upskill and inspire them towards a future in tech and AI.

The package unveiled ahead of London Tech Week also includes plans to roll out an AI bootcamp scheme across England to provide young people who are at risk of becoming unemployed and out of education and training, a pathway to work.

This will kick off this summer with a pilot covering 5 local areas in Lancashire and Greater Manchester which will see young people at risk of leaving school after their GCSEs and entering unemployment, take part in a free AI skills bootcamp.

It will provide them with workplace and entry-level AI training before guaranteeing those who complete the bootcamp a fully paid AI apprenticeship – which will be facilitated by local employers like JD Sports, BAE Systems, PA Consulting, Agilisys, and Wigan, Blackpool, Oldham, Blackburn and Lancashire councils.

If successful, the learnings from the pilot will support the rollout of a nationwide AI bootcamp programme across England in the 2027 to 2028 academic year.

Alongside this, a separate pilot will launch in early 2027 around the North East’s AI Growth Zone. 

Focused on young people who are already out of work and training, the programme will provide at least 6 months of work where participants will get hands-on job training in AI with leading tech juggernauts including Accenture, Microsoft and Sage. Delivered through government’s Jobs Guarantee, this will secure high-quality jobs in the North East AI Growth Zone and beyond.

These initiatives aim to turn the tide on declining opportunities for young people and ensure the economy works for people in every part of the country. They will help drive forward the government’s plans to ensure nobody is left behind as more businesses adopt AI and provide young people with the invaluable skills they need in modern Britain as we seize the opportunities of AI across the economy.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall said: My priority is building an AI future that is pro-business and pro-worker, where AI enhances work, and people are supported through the jobs transition – not left to cope on their own.

“It’s clear the world of work is changing rapidly with the adoption of new technologies, and young people want a future where they can get on, get skilled, and get good jobs.

“I’m determined to give young people the jobs and skills they need to thrive in an era of technological change, and am taking action now to create a future that truly works for all.”

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden said: “Young people deserve every opportunity to build a meaningful career, and that means making sure no one is left behind as our economy changes and technology advances.

“For too long, too many young people have faced a future with too few opportunities, which is why through our Youth Guarantee we are ensuring every young person has the chance to earn or learn.

“By equipping these young people with tech and AI skills, we are making sure that the opportunities created by this technological revolution are open to everyone.”

This package will be laid out in the Technology Secretary’s speech at the world’s first AI Adoption Summit tomorrow (Monday 8 June), where leaders from across the economy, will come together to put the country to work harnessing AI’s vast potential.

This comes alongside an £820 million investment in the Youth Guarantee to support almost one million young people – which will create 350,000 new training and workplaces, 55,000 guaranteed jobs for the long-term unemployed, over 360 youth hubs across Great Britain. As well as government also launching a major investigation spearheaded by Alan Milburn to investigate the barriers preventing the young from accessing work.

Prospect General Secretary Mike Clancy said: “We have a short window of opportunity to shape the AI revolution so that it enhances and supports jobs, rather than destroying and undermining them, and it is right that government are bringing employers and unions together to think through these issues.

“Some of the most exposed roles in the economy are held by young workers, and it is vital that we do not cut off pathways to career progression and learning in the relentless search for efficiency.

“We have a duty to the next generation of workers to get this right, and we look forward to contributing to this important piece of work.”

Katie Gallagher OBE, Managing Director of Manchester Digital and AI Champion for the Digital and Technologies Sector said: “As AI reshapes entry-level work, we have a chance to lead by example and create better pathways for young people.

“That is why I want to establish an industry-led Early Careers Jobs Alliance to shape a positive future for entry-level roles in the Digital and Technologies sector.”

Matt Prebble, Head of Accenture in the UK & Ireland, said: “Too many young people across the UK are not currently in education or employment, often facing multiple barriers to getting into the labour market.

“At the same time, businesses need people with the skills to work in an increasingly digital and AI-driven economy. In the North East, we’re working with partners across the technology ecosystem on an initiative that brings together digital and AI skills with practical, real-world experience, helping more young people access opportunities and develop the work-ready skills needed for today and the future.”

Darren Hardman, CEO, Microsoft UK and Ireland said: “I believe programmes like this are crucial to ensuring the AI economy creates more opportunities for more young people, in every corner of the country.

“By combining practical experience with AI skills training, we can develop real pathways into high-quality careers, build a stronger talent pipeline, and drive greater social mobility for young people in the North East.

“We’re proud to support that effort alongside Accenture and Sage, and excited about the long-term impact this kind of collaboration can have.”

Steve Hare, CEO at Sage, said: “AI is creating some of the most exciting career opportunities in a generation and we need to ensure that young people from every background can access them.

“Through the AI Growth Zone, Sage is working with industry partners and government to open the door to skilled AI careers for young people in the North East who don’t yet have a clear route into employment. This is how we turn the promise of AI into real, inclusive economic growth, starting in Sage’s home region.”

Mo Isap OBE, CEO of IN4 Group, said: “It’s time to turn the tables. Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, at risk of falling out of the system at 16, should be placed on a pedestal and not be seen as a problem.

“AI and new technologies are a leveller. These are young people with native digital and AI literacy who can be superheroes in the workplace, a workplace with an acute need for AI skills, with AI Native Youth.

“We have created a clear and direct pathway for this: a route, with support and visibility, that simply doesn’t exist for many young people, which is why we have so many who are NEET. I am on a mission to bring a systemic solution to this challenge, working in partnership with DSIT and our regional partners.

“This is a moment in time where a challenge becomes a huge opportunity.”

Harnessing the benefits of AI

New Strategy to deliver economic growth and prosperity

Wide-ranging measures have been unveiled to place Scotland at the forefront of the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution.

Scotland’s AI Strategy sets out a five-year plan to ensure people, businesses and public services across the country benefit from AI.

Independent analysis estimates the AI sector could be worth £23 billion to the Scottish economy by 2035 and the Strategy details increased support for businesses to expand the use of AI to develop new products and services, grow market share and generate new jobs and investment.

Initiatives to be implemented in the first year include:

  • establishing an independent expert advisory board to provide strategic guidance on the strategy’s delivery
  • appointing AI Champions to represent priority sectors and regions
  • rolling out an expanded AI adoption programme for businesses to help drive productivity and competitiveness across the economy
  • creating a Future Jobs Panel to assess AI’s impact on the workforce and establishing an AI Leadership Academy

Launching the Strategy at the Edinburgh Futures Institute in Edinburgh, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “The unprecedented pace at which AI is increasing and evolving presents an enormous opportunity.

“It has the potential to be genuinely transformative – for every sector of our economy, and for people from all backgrounds and communities.

“This strategy sets out a clear plan to harness the economic and social benefits of AI responsibly with practical, tangible steps to be taken this year to help ensure we translate our innovation and expertise into more businesses, jobs and investment.

“In establishing AI Scotland we will use the expertise of our enterprise agencies, The Data Lab and other partners to lead an accelerated, co-ordinated approach to ensure Scotland’s economy and society reaps the rewards of this incredible technology.”

Human error is costing UK businesses billions as AI cyber-attacks continue to soar

CYBERSCOTLAND WEEK 23 – 28 FEBRUARY 2026

Whilst many businesses invest in state-of-the-art computers and up-to-the-minute software to keep them safe online, the digital experts at West Lothian’s Workflo Solutions are warning the most exploited vulnerability for many businesses is actually human error. And so to mark CyberScotland Week, which runs from Monday 23rd until Saturday 28th February, they are urging everyone to tighten up their protection. 

Cyber-attacks that target small to medium-sized businesses have increased sharply in recent years, propelled by advances in AI technology.

From phishing scams and ransomware to credential theft and web-based intrusions, hackers are harnessing the power of AI to increase the speed, scale and sophistication of these devastating online attacks, stealing sensitive data for financial gain with greater ease than ever before.

And according to Workflo Solutions, many employees are simply not keeping pace with these fast-moving developments. As a result, they are putting businesses at significant risk.

It is estimated that more than 95% of data breaches in the UK are caused by human error. Significant incidents – categorised as those costing at least £500 – average nearly £195,000 per business, amounting to a staggering £14.7billion worth of damages per year to the UK economy.

The most common human errors include falling for phishing scams, using weak or compromised credentials, misconfiguring security settings, and falling victim to social engineering.

Commenting ahead of CyberScotland Week, Workflo Solutions’ managing director Michael Field urges businesses to stay vigilant; “CyberScotland Week is an opportune time to remind businesses of the need to create a strong security posture through their staff:

  • Create a culture where cyber security feels simple, relevant and part of everyday work.
  • Keep training short, frequent and practical by using real examples of phishing, social engineering and reconnaissance that staff might encounter.
  • Reinforce good habits through reminders, clear policies and easy routes to report suspicious activity. 
  • Lead by example and reward secure behaviour so employees feel responsible and motivated to protect the organisation.

“As AI becomes more integrated into everyday systems and business processes, the overall attack surface continues to grow, creating new entry points for exploitation within interconnected digital environments.

“It is therefore vital that we come together during CyberScotland Week to raise awareness, boost resilience and reduce the risk of human error.” 

To give businesses an extra helping hand during CyberScotland Week, Workflo Solutions is offering 200 businesses a free dark web domain audit.

By heading to www.workflo-solutions.co.uk and signing up for this free service, businesses will be notified if any of their company email addresses or passwords have been breached, enabling them to take proactive steps to reverse these vulnerabilities and avert a potential damaging attack.

OTHER EVENTS:

Lanarkshire named latest AI Growth Zone

Scotland will host a new AI Growth Zone in Lanarkshire, supporting more than 3,400 jobs and helping drive economic growth as part of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy

  • Scotland to host new AI Growth Zone – a key pillar of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy – creating 3,400 highvalue jobs and boosting wages across the region over the coming years
  • Strong links with universities and businesses to open new collaborations, as the delivery of dozens of apprenticeships to support the next generation of Scottish AI talent. 
  • £8.2 billion in private investment committed with an additional £540 million to support the local community, help tackle the cost of living, and boost jobs
  • Demonstrates rapid progress on AI, with over 75% of the AI Opportunities Action Plan already delivered, laying the groundwork for growth and transformed public services. 

PEOPLE in Lanarkshire will have access to the skills and opportunities they need to chase the jobs of the future, as AI is put to work to transform communities and livelihoods.  

Delivered by home-grown data centre company DataVita around their data centre site in Airdrie – and in partnership with AI cloud firm CoreWeave – the Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone announced by the Technology Secretary today (29 January) will bring more than 3,400 jobs over the course of the coming years (note), including delivering 50 apprenticeships to nurture the next generation of Scottish AI expertise.  

Of these jobs, around 800 are expected to focus on the high-paying AI jobs of the future, including everything from AI researchers and coders through to permanent staff who will run and maintain data centres. The rest will be made up of immediate construction jobs, as attention turns to building out the entire site, including data centres, supportive infrastructure, and a renewables park. 

Alongside £8.2 billion in private investment that will drive economic renewal in the local area, a new community fund will inject up to £543 million into support for a range of local programmes over the next 15 years (note). The money will come as a direct result of the work carried out at the site, being raised as data centre capacity comes online.  

From skills and training packages which will give people the tools they need for jobs in and working with AI, through to after-school coding clubs, and support for local charities and foodbanks – this is how the government is ensuring AI is delivering frontline support and opportunity for communities and playing an active role to bring down the cost of living. 

AI Growth Zones are just one of the many commitments the government has delivered one year on from the publication of the AI Opportunities Action Plan. In total the government has met 38 of its 50 commitments (note) with the public able to track progress in detail at a newly published interactive dashboard. 

In the past 12 months, the government has laid the foundations for long-term success, increased its AI computing power tenfold and launched a major skills drive which has already seen over one million free AI courses delivered.   

It is already delivering practical benefits – a third of chest x-rays in the NHS are AI-enabled, while AI is also helping the government function more efficiently by reducing the time taken to identify fraud by 80%. 

Meanwhile, Extract, the government-backed tool to digitise planning, is expected to be made available to all councils by Spring 2026, with a target to digitise all planning documents by the end of 2026. 

AI tutoring tools to narrow the attainment gap will also be co-developed this Summer and begin trials at the start of the next academic year. 

The UK AI sector is already the largest in Europe, raising £6 billion in 2025, which is an 80% increase from 2024. 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:  “Getting on in life should not mean travelling miles from your community for work while struggling to pay the bills at home. 

“By bringing billions of pounds of investment into Lanarkshire, we are creating good, wellpaid jobs and funding support that directly helps families with the cost of living.

“With strong progress made on our AI Opportunities Action Plan over the past year, now is the time to put our foot on the accelerator and ensure working people feel the benefits in every corner of the UK.”

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said:  ”Today’s announcement is about creating good jobs, backing innovation and making sure the benefits AI will bring can be felt across the community – that’s how the UK government is delivering real change for the people of Scotland. 

“From thousands of new jobs and billions in investment through to support for local people and their families, AI Growth Zones are bringing generation-defining opportunity to all corners of the country.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “Seizing the opportunities of AI is vital for getting jobs and growth in every part of the country. 

“Our AI growth zones are doing just that – creating new opportunities for local communities and unlocking investment so businesses can grow and scale up, building an economy that works for working people.”

Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill said: “North Lanarkshire’s proud industrial heritage helped power Britain through the last century – from coal and steel to manufacturing. Today, we’re writing the next chapter, as this community becomes home to an advanced AI site. The area will once again be at the very heart of Scotland’s and Britain’s industrial story. 

“This is the UK government’s economic growth in action. Scotland’s AI Growth Zone, backed by £5 million of UK government investment will create more than 3,400 jobs and attract billions in investment. With 5 AI Growth Zones now across the UK, we are cementing our position as Europe’s leading tech sector. 

“The UK government’s AI Growth Zone will bring new industries, good jobs and fresh opportunities to North Lanarkshire, but also boost the economy of the whole of central Scotland.”

Danny Quinn, Managing Director of DataVita, said: “Scotland has everything AI needs, the talent, the green energy, and now the infrastructure. But this goes beyond the physical buildings.

“We’re creating innovation parks, new energy infrastructure, and attracting inward investment from some of the world’s leading technology companies. This is a massive opportunity for North Lanarkshire & Scotland, and we want to make sure local people share in it.

£The £543 million community fund means the benefits stay here, good jobs, new skills, and investment that actually reaches the people who live and work in this area.”

Ben Richardson, Managing Director of CoreWeave International, said: “The Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone marks a meaningful step in moving the UK from AI ambition into AI in production.

“We’re proud to make this £1.5 billion investment with DataVita, delivering a production-grade AI cloud designed to run, scale, and evolve as AI becomes embedded across the economy.

“That long-term approach is what supports economic growth and strengthens the UK’s position in AI.”

Bolstering the benefits for local communities even further, DataVita’s parent company HFD Group will also contribute a separate £1 million per year towards local charities and community groups.  

When completed, Lanarkshire will be one of the most advanced AI sites anywhere in the world, with DataVita planning to include the generation of more than 500MW of on-site power to drive AI breakthroughs in the next 4 years.  

It will also explore cutting-edge solutions to one of the most pressing challenges facing AI – energy consumption. The energy powering this new Growth Zone will be drawn from on-site renewables, while excess heat – produced by cooling systems as they keep cutting-edge computers and tech in top working order – will also be put to good use. Once the site is fully up and running, plans will be explored to see this excess heat re-directed to power the nearby University Hospital Monklands – Scotland’s first fully digital and Net Zero hospital.   

Being in striking distance of land ripe for development for solar and wind power source will help to ensure the UK can realise its AI ambitions without compromising on its clean energy superpower mission.

This is a pioneering new approach to AI development – harnessing renewable energy to power advances in the technology while ensuring those benefits always filter down to benefit local communities.  

CoreWeave will be one of the key backers of the site, rolling out cutting edge NVIDIA GPU chips so researchers and innovators can power their work. This deployment will be part of the £2.5 billion investment the company has made to AI projects in the UK.   

It joins a stable of 5 AI Growth Zones announced in the 12 months since the launch of the AI Opportunities Action Plan, joining Oxfordshire, North and South Wales, and the North East of England as jewels in the UK’s AI Crown.

All told, AI Growth Zone announcements over the last 12 months have been bolstered by commitments to add up to 15,000 jobs for local communities, and at least £28.2 billion in private investment.     

Secretary of State Liz Kendal’s statement after concerns over Grok AI

STATEMENT TO PARLIAMENT – 12 JANUARY 2026

With permission Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement on AI, social media and online safety.  

No woman or child should live in fear of having their image sexually manipulated by technology.  

Yet in recent days, the Grok AI tool on the social media platform X has been used to create and share degrading, non-consensual intimate deepfakes.     

The content which has circulated on X is vile. It is not just an affront to decent society – it is illegal.   

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) reports “criminal imagery” of children as young as 11, including girls sexualised and topless.  

This is Child Sexual Abuse.  

We’ve seen reports of photos being shared of women in bikinis, tied up and gagged, with bruises, covered in blood. And much, much more. 

Lives can and have been devastated by this content, which is designed to harass, torment, and violate people’s dignity.   

They are not harmless images – they are weapons of abuse, disproportionately aimed at women and girls.  

And they are illegal.  

Last week, X limited the image creation function to paid subscribers.  

This does not go anywhere near far enough.  

It is insulting to victims to say you can still have this service if you are willing to pay.

And it is monetising abuse.  

So let me be crystal clear: sharing, or threatening to share, a deepfake intimate image without consent – including images of people in their underwear – is a criminal offence.    

Under the Online Safety Act, sharing images – or threatening to share them – is a criminal offence. For individuals, and for platforms.  

My predecessor – the Right Honourable Member for Hove and Portslade – made this a ‘priority offence’, so services have to take proactive action to stop this content from appearing in the first place.  

The Data Act, passed last year, made it a criminal offence to create – or request the creation of – non-consensual intimate images.  

And today, I can announce to the House that this offence will be brought into force this week and that I will make it a priority offence in the Online Safety Act too.  

This means individuals are committing a criminal offence if they create – or seek to create – such content – including on X – and anyone who does this should expect to face the full extent of the law.   

But the responsibilities do not just lie with individuals for their own behaviour.  

The platforms that host such material must be held accountable – including X.  

Madam Deputy Speaker, Ofcom this morning confirmed that they have opened a formal investigation into X and will assess their compliance with the Online Safety Act.     

The government expects Ofcom to set out a timeline for the investigation as soon as possible.  

The public – and most importantly, the victims of Grok’s activities – expect swift and decisive action. So this must not take months and months.  

But X doesn’t have to wait for the Ofcom investigation to conclude. They can choose to act sooner to ensure this abhorrent and illegal material cannot be shared on their platform.    

If they do not, Ofcom will have the backing of this government to use the full powers which Parliament has given them.  

And I would remind X – and all other platforms – that this includes the power to issue fines worth millions of dollars, or 10% of a company’s qualifying worldwide revenue.   

And in the most serious cases, Ofcom can apply for a court order to stop UK users accessing the site.  

Madam Deputy Speaker, this government will do everything in our power to keep women and especially children safe online.  

So I can today confirm that we will build on all the measures I have already outlined and legislate in the Crime and Policing Bill – which is currently going through Parliament – to criminalise nudification apps.  

This new criminal offence will make it illegal for companies to supply tools designed to create non-consensual intimate images, targeting the problem at its source.      

And in addition to all of these actions, we expect technology companies to introduce the steps recommended by Ofcom’s guidance on how to make platforms safer for women and girls without delay.  

And if they do not, I am prepared to go further.  

Because this government believes tackling violence against women and girls is as important online as it is in the real world.  

Madam Deputy Speaker, this is not – as some would claim – about restricting freedom of speech, something I and the whole government hold very dear.  

It is about tackling violence against women and girls.  

It’s about upholding basic British values of decency and respect, and ensuring the standards we expect offline are upheld online.  

And it is about exercising our sovereign power and responsibility to uphold the laws of the land.  

I hope this is a time when MPs on all sides of the House will stand up for British laws and British values and call out the platforms that allow explicit, degrading and illegal content.   

It is time to choose a side.  

If I may Madam Deputy Speaker, I would also like to address calls from MPs on all sides of this House for the government to end its participation on X.  

I understand why many colleagues have come to this conclusion when X seems so unwilling to clean up its act. The government will of course keep our participation under review.  

But our job is to protect women and girls from illegal and harmful content wherever it is found.  

It is also worth bearing in mind, with 19 million people on X in this country, and more than a quarter using it as their primary source of news, that our views – and often simply the facts – need to be heard.  

Madam Deputy Speaker, let me conclude by saying this.  

AI is a transformative technology which has the potential to bring about extraordinary and welcome change.  

Creating jobs and growth. Diagnosing and treating diseases. Helping children learn at school. Tackling climate change. And so much more besides.  

But in order to seize these opportunities, people must feel confident that they and their children are safe online and that AI is not used for destructive and abusive ends.  

Many tech companies want to and are acting responsibly. But when they do not, we must and we will act.  

Innovation should serve humanity; not degrade it.   

So we will leave no stone unturned in our determination to stamp out these demeaning, degrading and illegal images.   

If that means strengthening the existing laws, we are prepared to do so.   

Because this government stands on the side of decency.  

We stand on the side of the law.   

We stand for basic British values supported by the vast majority of people in this country.  

And I commend this statement to the House.

Scottish Government: Embracing the economic potential of AI

Support to help businesses harness artificial intelligence

A new programme helping Scottish companies seize the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) has been launched.

Supported by nearly £1 million of Scottish Government funding, it will offer small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) a range of support – including tailored consultancy services and grants – to introduce or expand the use of AI in order to develop new products and services, grow market share and attract new investment.

The programme will be delivered by enterprise agencies – Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and South of Scotland Enterprise – together with The Data Lab, Scotland’s innovation centre for data and artificial intelligence and the Scottish AI Alliance.

It is the first initiative to be delivered as part of AI Scotland, a transformation programme designed to support the adoption of AI. Businesses can find out more about support available on the Find Business Support website.

To launch the programme, Business Minister Richard Lochhead visited the Edinburgh Trams depot at Gogarburn in Edinburgh. Edinburgh Trams has been working with Edinburgh-based technology consultants Integrated Human Factors to develop a wearable fatigue monitoring device.

The Minister said: “Artificial intelligence is a hugely powerful, rapidly-evolving tool that can support and drive our economy. It can enable businesses to work smarter, to innovate and empower and support its workforces. The project being developed by Integrated Human Factors and Edinburgh Trams is a great example of this.

“This national programme will help ensure SMEs across the country have the right support and guidance in place to explore and develop how the adoption of AI could support expansion, competitiveness and open new markets. I’d urge all businesses to find out more about the support and guidance now available to them.

“The programme also marks an important first step in establishing AI Scotland, a true partnership bringing together expertise from across the public and private sectors to help ensure our economy, and indeed our society, is well placed to harness AI as a tool for economic growth and a force for good across society.”

Managing Director of Productivity & Business Growth at Scottish Enterprise Rhona Allison said: “The potential for AI to drive efficiency and productivity gains and increase companies’ competitiveness is immense. Yet research shows that three quarters of Scottish SMEs aren’t using any AI technologies and don’t have plans to adopt AI in the short term.

“We understand that businesses might be finding it difficult knowing where to start on AI adoption. That’s why the delivery partners have drawn on their experience to develop this ambitious Scotland-wide programme.

“It highlights the transformative potential of AI, considers the challenges of adoption, and makes practical support available to companies looking to embed AI in their operations.”

The Business Minister announced the national AI adoption programme as part of Scotland’s National Innovation Week. 

National Innovation Week

New AI tech company to tackle impersonation scams

Cyber project LastingAsset has become the latest firm to spin out from Edinburgh Napier University

A team of Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) cybersecurity experts have taken their fight against impersonation scams to the next level – after setting up their own company.

Their project, LastingAsset, has become the latest to spin out from the University, joining an illustrious list of cyber firms that began life at the School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment.

LastingAsset started out as a cybersecurity project to protect digital assets, before the founding team adapted the technology to tackle imposter calls.

Their service uses cryptographic encryption and artificial intelligence (AI) to prevent fraud perpetuated by rogue actors who impersonate an organisation or individual. 

Almost half of all fraud has an impersonation aspect and criminals are increasingly duping victims by using AI to socially engineer, voice clone and deep fake individuals. These crimes cost organisations across the UK billions of pounds every year.

The cryptography-based verification process developed by LastingAsset can assure client firms and their customers that they are speaking to a legitimate caller.

Having spent recent months developing their product, LastingAsset will now become the latest ENU spin-out company – the term used for new businesses which began life as an academic project.

The project was initially developed by ENU academics Dr Zakwan Jaroucheh and Professor Bill Buchanan. Their team includes co-founder and CEO Nanik Ramchandani, newly appointed Chief Operating Officer Ciara Mitchell and Senior Software Engineer Dmitri Timoshenko.

Since establishing the project more than two years ago, they have been backed by significant funding from Scottish Enterprise’s High Growth Spinout Programme, Innovate UK, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Data Lab. Their work has also drawn award recognition from the likes of Converge – claiming its Cisco Future Tech Award in 2023.

Having developed the technology, the LastingAsset team have begun exploring pilots with early adopter customers – and recently participated in a Scottish Enterprise programme to test the American market.

Dr Zakwan Jaroucheh, LastingAsset Co-founder & Chief Technical Officer, said: “Impersonation scams cause untold misery for people all around the world, and this is a big moment in our effort to fight against them.

“Edinburgh Napier University has a strong track record of supporting projects like ours to become major international companies, and we would like to thank colleagues for their help to get us to this point.”

Prof Bill Buchanan, LastingAsset Co-founder & Chief Innovator, said: “In an era of AI, there are so many opportunities to integrate privacy and digital trust into our online world.

“Our vision is to create systems which respect the rights of privacy of citizens, but where we can still address challenges around financial fraud and identity theft.

“We are aiming to build automated systems which can be trusted from a human and a technical level.”

Nanik Ramchandani, LastingAsset Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer, said: “With the rapid development of AI and deepfake technology, it is more important than ever to stay one step ahead of fraudsters.

“We are determined to provide individuals with the peace of mind to confidently continue to communicate with each other knowing that they are secure and not being scammed.”

Fiona Mason, Head of Business Engagement and IP Commercialisation at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “We are delighted with the launch of LastingAsset, the fifth spin-out from the Cybersecurity group within the School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment.

“Lasting Asset’s fraud detection is set to deliver significant benefits to people’s lives, by making everyday phone communications more trustworthy for everyone.

“We can’t do this alone – we are incredibly grateful for the support of our vibrant ecosystem which has been instrumental in supporting this project. I’d also like to offer thanks and congratulations to the founding team whose dedication and commitment have brought this vision to life.

“We are so proud of LastingAsset, which exemplifies our ambition to foster innovation, translate our research into real-world impact, and drive economic growth through groundbreaking technology.”

By spinning out, LastingAsset joins an impressive list of companies that began life as projects at the University, including the likes of Cyacomb, MemCrypt, Symphonic Software, ZoneFox, Mercel and Celtic Renewables.

In 2023 ENU was named among the UK’s top ten universities for generating spin-out firms.

Westminster Committee to hear evidence from Laura Bates on misogyny, the manosphere and AI

WESTMINSTER’s Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) will hear from activist, writer and speaker Laura Bates in Parliament on Wednesday, 18 June during the third evidence session of its inquiry into Misogyny: the manosphere and online content.

MPs on the cross-party committee chaired by Labour MP Sarah Owen will examine the rise of the manosphere and its influence on misogynistic behaviour and attitudes online and offline.

The session will also look at the emerging use of artificial intelligence (AI) and how this is facilitating misogyny, and the links between the misuse of AI and the manosphere. 

Discussion is expected to focus on non-consensual intimate image abuse (NCII) through deepfakes, linked to the Committee’s current and prior work on NCII abuse, and other aspects of Bates’ research, including bias in artificial intelligence.

WEC’s inquiry explores the prevalence and impact of misogynistic views, attitudes and behaviour among men and boys, particularly in schools and educational settings, and the reasons for this.

It examines ways that boys and young men are also being harmed and if better support, activities and services need to be available to them. 

Witness       

Starting at 2.20pm

Laura Bates, activist, writer and speaker