KEY POINTS
- UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham says Britain will fight disinformation at home and abroad.
- A new National Centre for Information Defence will detect and disrupt information attacks.
- The UK plans a new AI defence partnership with the United States to protect critical infrastructure.
- Britain will push for global principles and standards on safe AI development during its 2027 G20 Presidency.
MAIN STORY
The United Kingdom is preparing new measures to counter disinformation and strengthen safeguards around artificial intelligence, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham calling for international rules to guide the development of the technology.
Burnham made the commitment in his first address to the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday, where he linked the growing use of AI to both information security and national defence.
He said the UK and its allies had faced what he described as “an industrial-scale assault by hostile actors on the information environment”, accusing Russian agencies of using bots, fake websites and fabricated news reports to spread disinformation and exploit public fears.
According to Burnham, such operations had amplified far right narratives and included attempts to interfere with the 2019 General Election. He also said there had been efforts to inflame tensions and unrest following what he described as horrific events.
Burnham put the annual spending by the Kremlin on information manipulation at around 1.3 billion pounds and said British companies and institutions had also been targeted through cyber-attacks.
He warned that artificial intelligence could increase the scale of the threat.
In response, the UK plans to establish a National Centre for Information Defence to identify, attribute and disrupt information attacks while strengthening the country’s democratic institutions.
Burnham said Britain would also share its experience with other countries facing similar threats. He cited support already provided to Moldova to help protect its elections against alleged Russian interference.
Turning to AI, Burnham described Frontier AI, which he characterised as the cutting edge of the technology, as both a major opportunity and challenge.
He announced plans for a new AI defence partnership between the UK and the United States, with the partnership intended to help protect critical national infrastructure.
The Prime Minister also argued that decisions about the future direction of AI should be made by elected governments rather than left to chance.
He said Britain would seek to bring together governments and other relevant actors to maximise AI’s benefits while addressing the risks associated with its development.
THE ISSUES
- The UK is treating disinformation as a security and democratic resilience issue, with the planned National Centre for Information Defence expected to focus on detecting, attributing and disrupting information attacks.
- Burnham’s comments connect the spread of disinformation with the growing capabilities of AI, suggesting that advances in the technology could increase the scale of existing information threats.
- The UK is also placing AI within its national security framework through a planned defence partnership with the United States focused on protecting critical infrastructure.
- At the international level, Britain is seeking common principles and standards covering AI transparency, access and safety, with the initiative expected to feature prominently during its G20 Presidency in 2027.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“They’ve amplified far right narratives. And we have evidence that they tried to interfere with the 2019 General Election.” – Andy Burnham, UK Prime Minister
“And we know that AI will multiply the threat.” – Andy Burnham, UK Prime Minister
“And we will work towards agreeing a single set of global principles and standards to ensure the transparency and access we need to increase our preparedness, and to ensure that AI development is safe.” – Andy Burnham, UK Prime Minister
WHAT’S NEXT
The UK plans to establish the National Centre for Information Defence and develop its AI defence partnership with the United States. It will also work with other countries towards a common set of principles and standards for AI, with the issue expected to form part of Britain’s G20 Presidency in 2027.
BOTTOM LINE
Britain plans to combine domestic measures against disinformation with international efforts to establish common standards for safe AI development. Burnham said the UK would use its experience and international partnerships to address both the opportunities and security risks associated with AI.
