- Published
The UK will set up a new centre to "stem the poisonous tide" of hostile state attacks, including Russian disinformation, and lead efforts to establish global safety standards for artificial intelligence, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said.
asserted
Burnham → publish → intelligence
In his first major international speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, Burnham warned Russian agencies are using "every means at their disposal", including bots and fake websites, to "spread lies and disinformation".
asserted
agencies → warn → lies
The prime minister noted AI will "multiply" existing threats, and pitched the UK as an "honest broker" on the technology.
asserted
AI → note → technology
Fears about AI have grown after industry insiders recently warned it could endanger humanity.
In Burnham's speech, he accused Russia of running a disinformation campaign.
uncertain
he → grow → campaign
"The Kremlin spends around £1.3 billion each year on manipulating information," Burnham told the UN General Assembly.
asserted
Burnham → spend → Assembly
"They've used bots and fake websites, falsified newspaper articles, forged the branding of 28 British organisations, including universities and the BBC.
asserted
They → use → universities
"We're talking about an insidious campaign that reaches into people's homes and twists what they feel about their own country and community – creating a narrative of decline, stoking division and sowing despair.
asserted
they → talk → despair
"On top of that we have seen cyber-attacks on our companies and institutions.
asserted
we → see → companies
And we know that AI will multiply the threat."'
He also referenced the 2019 UK general election, in which the government previously said Russia almost certainly sought to interfere.
asserted
Russia → know → which
To counter this, Burnham announced a new National Centre for Information Defence to detect and disrupt AI-enabled disinformation campaigns by hostile states.
asserted
Burnham → counter → states
The centre will work alongside intelligence agencies, government departments, law enforcement and social media to bring together expertise to combat "information warfare".
asserted
centre → work → warfare
There was no immediate comment from Russia, a representative of which was sitting in the room listening to Burnham's speech.
asserted
representative → be → speech
Previously, when the UK government put out a report in 2020 about Russian activity in the UK, including in elections, Moscow described the allegations as "Russophobia".
asserted
Moscow → put → Russophobia
Before becoming prime minister, Burnham had said relatively little about how AI should be regulated.
asserted
AI → become → little
Since taking power in July, Burnham's government has stressed the need for international cooperation to combat the risks, as well as harness the potential benefits of the technology, warning that further regulation and legislation may be needed.
uncertain
regulation → take → technology
In his speech, Burnham described the most advanced "Frontier AI" as "one of the most significant challenges and opportunities of our age".
asserted
Burnham → describe → age
He told world leaders AI would be "key to economic growth" but also a "multiplier of risk".
asserted
AI → tell → risk
The prime minister added: "We've all heard the warnings – which we must heed.
asserted
we → add → which
I know how worried people are.
asserted
people → know → ?
So we have to rise to this moment."
asserted
we → have → moment
Burnham said the "UK has a unique position as an honest broker", with close ties to the US and the European Union.
asserted
UK → say → US
Burnham also highlighted the UK's "world-leading" AI Security Institute, which was established under Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and tests major AI models to improve their safety before they are released publicly.
asserted
they → highlight → safety
He pledged to put AI "at the heart of the UK's G20 Presidency next year", when leaders of the world's biggest economies will gather in Manchester.
asserted
leaders → pledge → Manchester
Burnham said the UK would work towards agreeing a set of global principles and standards to ensure transparency, access to AI models, and that development happens safely.
asserted
development → say → models
He added that this would "bring together welcome initiatives from others", such as a proposal from Norway this week.
asserted
this → add → Norway
The declaration - which has the support of more than 20 countries, including Germany, Canada and Ireland - calls for AI to remain under human control and for mandatory pre-release testing of frontier models.
However, it has not been signed by the US and China, which dominate AI development, or the UK.
asserted
which → have → development
In his own address earlier, US President Donald Trump rejected "any attempt to construct a globalist scheme" to control AI.
asserted
Trump → reject → AI
Former cabinet minister Darren Jones, who served as chief secretary to Burnham's predecessor Sir Keir Starmer, called on the PM to sign the declaration and offer to broker an agreement with the US on its implementation.
asserted
who → serve → implementation
He argued there "should be a landing zone to agree mandatory testing", without undermining competitive advantage between companies and nations.
asserted
He → argue → companies
The UK AI Security Institute's testing of AI models is currently on a voluntary basis and AI company Anthropic reportedly refused to submit its latest model for testing.
uncertain
Anthropic → refuse → testing
Downing Street said officials had made clear in recent discussions with AI leaders that the government expects "full and total visibility of model developments".
asserted
expects → say → developments
The prime minister has acknowledged that while developers have made significant commitments on transparency, nothing is off the table to keep the public safe, including legislation.
asserted
nothing → acknowledge → legislation
The Liberal Democrats and the Green Party have been putting pressure on the government to take further action on AI safety.
asserted
Democrats → put → safety
However, any international efforts to regulate AI would need the cooperation of the US and China.
asserted
efforts → regulate → US
Trump has dismissed warnings of AI destroying humanity as "a hoax" and rejected the idea of a global scheme to control the technology.
"We're going to encourage it, not rein it in," he told the UN General Assembly.
asserted
he → dismiss → Assembly
Meanwhile, the government has announced a new AI and Autonomy partnership between the UK and US, focused on protecting critical national infrastructure using AI tech.
asserted
government → announce → tech
Earlier in the day, Burnham and Trump had met, although Downing Street's statement on the meeting did not mention that they discussed AI.
asserted
they → meet → AI
The Aporia
