Data regulation in the age of AI and other data intensive technologies: a call for evidence by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

AI spans many different sectors and industries, bringing both benefits and risks, so it is imperative that regulation is harmonised. AI is influencing how businesses, industries and technologies operate now and in the future. It is important that regulation and legal parameters work in practice, in harmony with industry and innovation. 

Recommendations

• Standards and transparency: The EU AI act, along with the professional standards published by the ISO, and GDPR provide a good basis for the deployment of AI, these should be consulted and applied where appropriate. Suitable legal and regulatory structures should be in place, and under constant review, to allow AI’s development without stifling innovation. The UK can be a leader in AI safety by developing a better, broader definition of safety and risks of an AI tool. Furthermore, to improve transparency and understanding, the UK should champion the use of the Responsible Handover of AI Framework. The UK should be continually striving to improve standards in this area.
• Harmonisation: Standards should be harmonised across sectors and reviewed regularly as there is significant overlap between remits of regulators. This would be supportive of innovation rather than restrictive, with coordinated oversight to ensure consistency.  
• Regulation: The government should establish firm rules on which data can and cannot be used to train AI systems – and ensure this is unbiased as part of the new data centres outlined in the manifesto pledges.
• Data Strategy: Organisations must have a robust, continuingly maintained and evolved data strategy, which accounts for the evolving and differential nature of AI. There must be a differentiation between data and information, as well as clearly defined roles and ownership within organisations.