October 17, 2016

Essentially, the report finds that advances in robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) hold the potential to fundamentally reshape the way we live and work.  Yet the Government does not yet have a strategy for developing the new skills citizens will need to flourish in a world where Artificial Intelligence is more prevalent, or responding to the social and ethical dilemmas it poses.

AI systems are starting to have transformational impacts on everyday life: from driverless cars and supercomputers that can assist doctors with medical diagnoses, to intelligent tutoring systems that can tailor lessons to meet a student’s individual cognitive needs.  Such breakthroughs raise a host of questions for society, including ethical issues about the transparency of AI decision-making as well as privacy and safety.

The Committee is calling for a Commission on Artificial Intelligence to be established at the Alan Turing Institute to examine the social, ethical and legal implications of recent and potential developments in AI.

The Committee concludes that the UK is well placed to provide this type of intellectual leadership.  Much of the significant progress in this field, such as improved automated voice recognition software, predictive text keyboards on smart phones and autonomous vehicle, has in fact been driven by UK-based technology start-ups, founded by graduates of UK universities, as well as universities themselves.  The Committee found, however, that Government leadership in AI was lacking.

Dr Tania Mathias, interim Chair of the Committee, said: “Government leadership in the fields of robotics and AI has been lacking.  Some major technology companies — including Google and Amazon — have recently come together to form the ‘Partnership on AI’.  While it is encouraging that the sector is thinking about the risks and benefits of AI, this does not absolve the Government of its responsibilities.  It should establish a ‘Commission on Artificial Intelligence’ to identify principles for governing the development and application of AI, and to foster public debate”.  To read the Committee’s news release in full and for a link to the report, click here.