AI can be ‘force for good’ but needs regulation, says Keir Starmer
Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a “force for good”, Sir Keir Starmer has told a UK-India summit in Westminster.
The Labour leader said the invention was an “incredible form of technology” being developed “at pace” – but that the UK needed to develop regulations to monitor its application.
Speaking at the UK India week 2023 event, organised by the Global India Forum, the opposition leader told attendees AI had potential to help transform healthcare and the NHS.
“AI working with radiologists can identify much more quickly and accurately – 60 per cent more accurately – early stage cancers, particularly in the liver,” he said.
“This is a massive benefit but we have to recognise at the moment we haven’t got regulation where we need it.
“We need a framework and we need a discussion on what form regulation should take. We need to make sure it encourages the good use of AI without holding us back.
“I think that’s a debate we’re now ready for… [there is] huge potential in AI but we do need regulation.”
His comments came during a Q&A following his speech at the UK-India summit, in answer to a question on what he believed was the biggest threat – AI or climate change.
He told moderator Edie Lush: “Climate change is by far a greater threat than AI ever is – it’s a huge pressure on all of us. It’s a huge opportunity as well as we go towards renewables.
“[But] it’s already with us and we have to have strategic answers to it. AI is different – it’s an incredible form of technology, going at pace and can be great force for good.”
Starmer said he hadn’t used AI platform ChatGPT but that “I have a 14-year-old son who uses it all the time”.
And he joked he might one day ask AI to write his six queries to Rishi Sunak for Prime Minister’s Question Time, to “see what it comes up with”.