Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Artificial intelligenceEuropeLatest NewsEconomics, government & businessHR Technology

Institute of Directors: UK could be left behind on AI

by Adam McCulloch 19 Oct 2023
by Adam McCulloch 19 Oct 2023 Photograph: Koshiro K/Shutterstock
Photograph: Koshiro K/Shutterstock

The Institute of Directors has called on the UK government to revamp its ‘wait and see’ approach to AI regulation and establish a principles-based regime on a statutory basis as a matter of urgency, or face being ‘left behind’.

The IoD is worried that the EU’s rules concerning the use of AI will be widely adopted, a development that would see the UK being sidelined as companies explore ways of using the new technology.

A recent survey of IoD members saw 51% of business leaders indicate that AI represented a business opportunity for their organisations, while only 23% saw it as a risk. Yet uncertainty about the UK’s approach to AI regulation was hampering the uptake of these new technologies, the study suggested.

This was because very few boards (8%) had AI governance structures in place to examine how AI was being used in their business or supply chains.

More than half of business leaders (60%) either lacked AI knowledge on their boards, did not see it as a board-level issue or had so far failed to consider the risks and opportunities of AI, found the research.

Future skills

AI in employment: the pitfalls and laws on the horizon

Collaboration and problem-solving identified among future work skills

The value of building, not buying talent

Little appetite for AI in recruitment, finds research

The government has defined principles to be applied by sector regulators to guide the responsible use of AI in its white paper, A Pro-innovation Approach to AI Regulation. The IoD is broadly supportive of this regulatory approach and is calling for the introduction of an AI Bill in the next King’s Speech (7 November).

Commenting on these proposals, the IoD’s director of policy, Dr Roger Barker, said the IoD preferred the light approach that ministers have so far taken over the “prescriptive rules … being devised by the European Union and some other major jurisdictions.

“However, there is no time to waste. The EU’s proposed legislation is well advanced and may quickly establish itself as the de facto global standard for AI regulation – in the same way that the EU’s GDPR has become the main reference framework for data protection.

“The UK is at risk of being left behind. In order to retain its position of leadership, the UK needs to act fast in implementing its own vision for AI regulation rather than waiting for others to set the rules of the game. We therefore urge the Government to place its AI regulatory principles on a statutory basis through legislation in the King’s Speech.”

Meanwhile, earlier this week, Microsoft announced it will equip one million people with key AI skills to help them explore a career in technology through its newly expanded skills programme GetOn.

New research commissioned by Microsoft revealed that 54% of leaders were concerned their workforce lacked the skills to make the most of the AI opportunity.

The expanded GetOn programme will focus on fluency, technical skills, and business transformation and will create the first professional certificate on generative AI in the online learning market.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

 

Latest HR job opportunities on Personnel Today


Browse more human resources jobs

Adam McCulloch

Adam McCulloch first worked for Personnel Today magazine in the early 1990s as a sub editor. He rejoined Personnel Today as a writer in 2017, covering all aspects of HR but with a special interest in diversity, social mobility and industrial relations. He has ventured beyond the HR realm to work as a freelance writer and production editor in sectors including travel (The Guardian), aviation (Flight International), agriculture (Farmers' Weekly), music (Jazzwise), theatre (The Stage) and social work (Community Care). He is also the author of KentWalksNearLondon. Adam first became interested in industrial relations after witnessing an exchange between Arthur Scargill and National Coal Board chairman Ian McGregor in 1984, while working as a temp in facilities at the NCB, carrying extra chairs into a conference room!

previous post
Don’t forget heart health on World Menopause Day
next post
DfE updates list of 200 BTecs to be scrapped

You may also like

CIPD appoints expert in AI to boost support...

8 May 2025

How can businesses build protections for gig workers?

7 May 2025

Quarter of employees worried AI will threaten jobs...

28 Apr 2025

How can HR battle the rise in identity...

27 Apr 2025

Google concerned by slow AI take-up in UK

25 Apr 2025

HR teams build AI use but seek more...

14 Apr 2025

The future of work: is the UK workforce...

11 Mar 2025

New employment rights top priority for HR teams

10 Mar 2025

Singapore’s biggest bank slashes 10% of its workforce...

25 Feb 2025

What does the TV show Severance tell us...

14 Feb 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+