Last Thursday our Technical Director Allan Williams was very privileged to be at the House of Lords for the first reading on ‘Artificial Intelligence’ (AI) by the select committee. The day was hosted by Lord St John of Blesto and looked at how the UK is in a strong position to be among the world leaders in the development of AI.
The Select Committee on AI was appointed on 29th June 2017 by the House of Lords to consider the economic, ethical and social implications of advances in AI, and to make recommendations, based on 5 key questions:
- How does AI affect people in their everyday lives, and how is this likely to change?
- What are the potential opportunities presented by AI for the UK? How can these be realised?
- What are the possible risks and implications of AI? How can these be avoided?
- How should the public be engaged with in a responsible manner about AI?
- What are the ethical issues presented by the development and use of AI?
The Chairman of the Committee, Lord Clement-Jones, said; “The UK contains leading AI companies, a dynamic academic research culture, and a vigorous start-up ecosystem as well as a host of legal, ethical, financial and linguistic strengths. We should make the most of this environment, but it is essential that ethics take centre stage in AI’s development and use.”
The day also ended with a meeting in Mayfair with a hosted telephony partner actively using AI. Allan Williams says; “The advancements in AI are paving the way for some very exciting times in the technology and communication industry.”
