Government ministers have called on the UK’s regulatory bodies to publish plans outlining how they can each support the safe adoption of AI across their jurisdictions.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall and her predecessor, now serving as Business Secretary, Peter Kyle, jointly wrote to the 19 regulators deemed to be responsible for the sectors with the most potential for AI adoption.
Among the regulators included were the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Environmental Agency and Ofsted.
“Effective adoption of AI in the UK relies on citizens’ confidence in its safety,” the letter said.
“We are asking you to help enable safe adoption of AI in your sector. This involves maintaining a clear organisational focus on enabling safe AI innovation, acting proportionately and transparently, and removing unnecessary barriers where they arise.”
The letter urged the watchdogs to work closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), to produce a plan setting out how they can help enable responsible AI innovations by May 2026.
These plans will include guidance on how existing rules apply to AI, assurance that regulatory processes will be compatible with AI, initiatives from regulators regarding how anonymised data sets held by them could support AI development and the creation of sandboxes to test various AI use-cases.
“Building on the publication of the plan, report annually on how your regulatory approach has enabled innovation and growth driven by AI in your sector,” the letter continued.
“This could be included as part of your existing annual reporting structures. This should summarise key actions, outcomes, transparent metrics, and lessons learned, and identify any adjustments needed to remove regulatory barriers to innovation and AI adoption.”
