UK Announces AI Regulatory Principles, Emphasizing Developer Responsibility and Transparency

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK's antitrust regulator, has recently published its report on the management of theartificial intelligence (AI)(AIThe new standards for AI models are designed to promote the healthy development of this technology. These new standards cover aspects of accountability, access and transparency to ensure that AI models are developed and utilized in accordance with competition and consumer protection principles.

Back in May of this year, the UK CMA began researching generative AI applications (such as ChatGPT) to ensure that this technology is used to benefit businesses and consumers.CMA CEO Sarah Cardell said that while AI technology has the potential to increase productivity and make everyday tasks easier for millions of people, this does not mean that the consequences it brings are necessarily positive. As a result, the CMA is proposing these new principles and launching a wide-ranging engagement program to help ensure that AI models are developed and utilized in a way that promotes competition and protects consumers.

The regulatory principles published by the CMA cover seven areas: accountability, access, diversity, choice, flexibility, fair trading and transparency. In terms of accountability, developers and deployers are required to be responsible for the content of the output; in terms of access, it is required not to be unnecessarily restrictive; in terms of choice, it is required to provide enough options for organizations so that they can decide how to use the AI models; and in terms of fair trading, it is required not to engage in anti-competitive behavior.

Over the next few months, the CMA will be undertaking a significant program of engagement with a wide range of stakeholders in the UK and internationally to further develop these principles and collectively support the positive development of AI in these key markets in order to promote effective competition and consumer protection for the benefit of people, businesses and the economy.

The UK government is now looking to become a global leader in the AI industry and regulation, and is planning to host the world's first AI summit this November. In an effort to attract AI companies and technologies to the UK, the UK government has also put forward a proposal for a new exemption to copyright law that would allow text and data mining for any purpose. However, this proposal has raised some concerns as copyrighted artistic and cultural content could easily fall into the hands of generative AI training materials. In response, a group of British MPs last month called on the government to enforce clearer and stricter rules on AI systems so that some copyrighted content is not illegally exploited.

In summary, the UK's AI Regulatory Principles are designed to ensure the healthy development of AI technologies while protecting the interests of consumers and businesses. As these principles are implemented and engagement programs move forward, the goal of effective competition and consumer protection is expected to be achieved in the UK and globally.