𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

A cross-party group of MPs have called on Andy Burnham to “prohibit the development of superintelligent artificial intelligence (AI)” to prevent it “killing all humans”. Alex Sobel, Labour MP for Leeds Central and Headingly, led the charge in a letter to the Prime Minister, where he warned of “a string of alarming AI incidents, including rogue AI systems taking unsanctioned action on the internet and hacking organisations”.

He said the threat was propounded by the recent resignation of AI researcher Jacob Coxon, who chillingly warned that the technology “could kill us all by the end of the decade”. Mr Sobel drew a distinction between regular and “superintelligent AI”, which he said could be “so autonomous and capable” that it “replaces and outcompetes humans across domains”.

His bill, backed by Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Green representatives, would see the UK impose a domestic ban on the advanced technology and “pursue an international agreement to prevent the development of superintelligent AI worldwide”.

Mr Coxon warned this week that a race between companies towards self-improving superintelligence was “gambling with our lives” as he resigned from major US company Anthropic.

Announcing his departure, he said that Anthropic and OpenAI, its main competitor, were not “acting responsibly” and that people outside of AI labs were underestimating the power of the technology.

“The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade,” he added. “This is not a marketing stunt. No other human activity poses this level of danger.”

Mr Burnham recognised “risks to national security” posed by AI after Mr Coxon’s resignation, but added that “it could also be the source of solutions to keeping us safer”.

“The offer is open to colleagues on all sides of the House to be part of that crucial discussion,” he told the Commons on Wednesday.