The Business and Trade Committee (BTC), together with the International Affairs and National Security Hub, have published an Area of Research Interest (ARI) on international regulatory landscape for Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.
AI is likely to have a significant impact on individuals, businesses, and the wider economy, creating opportunities as well as posing risks. The Committee is interested in general regulatory issues around AI such as safety, accountability and liability, as well as a number of specific concerns that may need to be addressed through Government policy and legislation. These include notably the socio-economic impact of AI on the labour market, employment, productivity and income inequality; the UK security risks posed by AI technology, and the need to reflect these in law including the export control regime; and the impact of hostile use of generative AI on the integrity of UK politics.
In February 2024, the Government said AI “will ultimately require legislative action”, although no timetable for a Bill has been announced. Its vision is also for the ‘context-specific’, diffuse regulation of AI in different sectors under the supervision of specific regulators like Ofgem and the Financial Conduct Authority, rather than a unified set of rules governing AI and a single regulatory function.
Meanwhile, the EU, the US and China have already introduced laws governing the use of AI. These are likely to impact on international technical standards for AI technology and relevant multilateral governance initiatives in fora like the UN, OECD and G7. Questions remain over the extent to which new international norms will reflect the values of open and democratic societies, such as individual privacy rights and freedom of expression. By contrast, the current Government’s position to legislating is essentially one of ‘wait and see’, a distinctly different approach to AI governance compared to the EU and the US. The UK’s influence within international standard-setting and governance negotiations is unclear.
Given the Business and Trade Committee’s role in scrutinising Government policy that affects businesses and consumers, and the wide-ranging uses and impacts of AI across the economy, the Committee wishes to use this ARI to gather information on the expertise and research available on the regulation of AI, and in particular the potential impact of relevant international developments – such as the EU Artificial Intelligence Act – on the UK’s regulatory approach and domestic AI industry.
By registering your details or sharing your expertise through this ARI you will support future parliamentary work on this topic, such as committee inquiries or legislative scrutiny. This ARI will help the Committee extend its knowledge base, obtain more specific information, and engage with new voices. In the future, respondents may be invited to provide formal evidence.
Register your expertise in AI International regulation and policy issues by completing this form.
The Committee is interested in hearing from experts on:
Please note: you do not need to be an expert in all the aspects of this ARI call. We welcome contributions from researchers who hold expertise in just one or limited aspects of this call, or who may have a niche perspective.
We welcome researchers from all career stages to register their expertise for this ARI call.
Business and Trade Committee
The Business and Trade Committee scrutinises the policy, spending and administration of the Department for Business and Trade and its public bodies.
International Affairs and National Security Hub
The International Affairs & National Security Hub is a recent innovation within the policy scrutiny teams of the House of Commons. Its membership includes experts working in policy, research and analysis roles across Parliament. Our goal is to ensure that MPs and Peers have access to cutting-edge policy analysis in scrutinising UK foreign and security policy—whether in the Chambers or Select Committees—by creating a vibrant hub of policy development, scrutiny innovation and richer working lives for parliamentary staff.
Areas of Research Interest (ARIs) list key questions related to policy matters that Select Committees are interesting in hearing from experts on. They help select committees to access research evidence and grow the number of experts they are aware of, including engaging with new or underrepresented voices who previously haven’t participated in parliamentary scrutiny.
ARIs are not an exhaustive list of all areas in which Parliament may be interested in research evidence in the future. Parliamentary priorities are driven by elected representatives responding to current affairs. In particular, select committees issue calls for evidence based on their current priorities; ARIs do not replace these calls for evidence. However, ARIs may be used by parliamentarians and by parliamentary staff in POST, the Libraries and select committee teams to scope and/or inform future work.
When you register for this ARI your contact details, description of expertise and any answers you provide to the key questions are sent directly to the Business and Trade Committee and the International Affairs and National Security Hub. They will also be shared with other parliamentary teams if they have need to draw on your expertise in the future. Responding to an ARI is a good way to get your name known and highlight that you are an expert in a topic. You may then be invited to participate in a range of parliamentary scrutiny activities such as giving evidence, providing a briefing, or engaging in discussions with committee staff, either now or in the future.
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