The UK has rebranded its AI Safety Institute to focus on security, recruiting American startup Anthropic to explore how the technology can be used to improve public services.
Launched in 2023 under then-prime minister Rishi Sunak's government, the AI Safety Institute was unveiled as alarm over the technology's potential for catastrophic damage spread globally, culminating in a global summit at Bletchley Park.
Since taking power last year, the newly-elected Labour government has stepped away from calls to regulate AI, focusing instead on its potential to transform public services. Officials faced criticism and praise for declining to sign an international declaration on "inclusive" AI at this week's Action Summit in Paris.
The summit marked a significant change of tone to Bletchley, with French president Emmanuel Macron and senior EU officials emphasising the need to champion homegrown AI champions — and avoid over-regulating them.
In a statement, tech minister Peter Kyle said the renamed AI Security Institute would help "unleash AI and grow the economy". He said: “The work of the AI Security Institute won’t change, but this renewed focus will ensure our citizens — and those of our allies — are protected from those who would look to use AI against our institutions, democratic values, and way of life."
Labour announced it had also partnered with San Francisco-based AI startup Anthropic to research how AI can be used to cut costs and make public services more efficient.
"We look forward to exploring how Anthropic's AI assistant Claude could help UK government agencies enhance public services, with the goal of discovering new ways to make vital information and services more efficient and accessible to UK residents," said cofounder and CEO Dario Amodei.
