UK can’t rely on AI that could be switched off, Turing chief tells Guardian
George Williamson, the new head of the Alan Turing Institute, has warned in an interview with The Guardian that the UK should not rely solely on foreign AI systems that could be restricted or even switched off at short notice.
"We shouldn’t depend solely on systems we can’t inspect or control," he stated.
He highlighted critical sectors like defence, national security, critical infrastructure, and healthcare where AI is becoming increasingly integrated. His remarks come on the heels of Washington's decision in June to temporarily block access to Anthropic's top AI models.
"Both political and commercial pressures mean we may not have access in all the circumstances when we want it," Williamson said.
The institute, primarily funded by the UK government, aims to develop smaller, nationally-owned AI models for startups, rather than mimicking the budgets of major AI labs.
"We can be ambitious here without trying to copy what frontier labs are doing," Williamson added.
His priorities for the institute include enhancing national resilience by protecting critical systems and spotting state-backed disinformation.
Williamson also expressed doubt about claims that AI poses an existential threat to humanity, stating he hasn't seen compelling evidence supporting the percentages often cited by industry experts.
His perspective aligns with that of European leaders, such as Christine Lagarde of the ECB, who have warned about the risk of being cut off from US and Chinese AI technology.