A cross-party parliamentary committee has called for a dedicated law to protect human rights from the risks posed by artificial intelligence, arguing that the UK’s existing legal and regulatory framework is not adequate for the technology’s rapid development.
The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) made the recommendation in a 100-page report. Its summary cites abuses including the creation of sexualised images of women and girls and the use of facial recognition without consent.
Alex Sobel, the Labour MP who chairs the committee, said no country, including the UK, currently had an approach to AI that was “fit for purpose”. He said the technology was developing too quickly for its effects to be accurately predicted and that the UK was not prepared for potentially serious consequences.
The committee wants a single, independent AI oversight body established in law. It said the current framework was fragmented and difficult to navigate, creating gaps in protection. It also called for stronger duties for higher-risk AI systems and models throughout their development and use.
Some applications should be banned outright, the report said, because they could not be reconciled with human rights. Potential examples identified by the committee include subliminal techniques and inappropriate use of profiling or biometric information. It also highlighted concerns about discriminatory bias in systems trained on material gathered from the internet, as well as AI-generated misinformation.
Education Minister Georgia Gould said AI offered opportunities but that the government needed to respond to the risks. She said ministers were already taking action, including measures addressing non-consensual sexualised deepfakes, and that the AI Security Institute was testing models entering the UK. The government has also said it is monitoring the technology and working with other countries.
Labour promised in its 2024 election manifesto to introduce binding rules for companies developing the most powerful AI models. The government committed in the 2024 King’s Speech to “appropriate legislation”, but a dedicated AI bill was not included in this year’s programme.