Despite UK expectations, no AI bill was explicitly introduced during the King's speech

King Charles confirmed that the UK will introduce AI regulation under the new Labour government, but specific details are yet to be determined.

The legislation aims to establish requirements for developers of powerful AI models, diverging from the previous Conservative government’s voluntary approach. And while there was no explicit mention of the bill, the King showed a clear move towards more regulation and protection of public infrastructure against cyber threats.

“My Government is committed to making work pay and will legislate to introduce a new deal for working people to ban exploitative practices and enhance employment rights [Employment Rights Bill]. It will seek to establish the appropriate legislation to place requirements on those working to develop the most powerful artificial intelligence models,” the King mentions.

Labour’s policy also includes creating a Regulatory Innovation Office and expanding the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology to promote research and innovation while addressing regulatory challenges in AI. It moves away from the voluntary agreements under the Tory administration, as the shift aligns with Labour’s manifesto commitments to formalize aspects of AI regulation and integrate the tech into infrastructure strategies.

However, other pledges such as banning sexual deepfakes and establishing a National Data Library were not addressed in the speech. Additionally, plans for a Cyber Security and Resilience Bill aim to align UK regulations with the EU’s AI Act, following recent cyber-attacks targeting critical services.

The proposed bill will likely maintain a more lenient approach compared to the EU’s AI Act as the 500-page has a strict regulatory framework and will come into force on August 1, 2024. It sets a detailed regulatory framework, categorizing AI systems by risk levels—high-risk AI systems have strict requirements for transparency, accountability, and compliance.