6 Parliament

The adoption and use of AI systems are hugely influenced by societal factors. Therefore, it is important to think about how to influence and keep up to date with how society is responding to technical developments. In Course 7, you learnt about the legal regulation of AI, but you might also want to keep abreast of, for example, the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, which has previously run an inquiry into the governance of artificial intelligence [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .

An alternative is to focus on reports written by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology. Part of parliament, their reports offer an independent, balanced and accessible analysis of science-related issues. For example, their report titled Use of artificial intelligence in education delivery and assessment is an interesting starting point regarding one significant concern about the common use of generative AI and its impact on society.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union, which the UK is a member of, is a global organisation of national parliaments. They have published guidelines for AI in parliaments in partnership with the Parliamentary Data Science Hub in IPU’s Centre for Innovation in Parliament.

The Guidelines for AI in parliaments offer a comprehensive framework for parliaments to understand and implement AI responsibly and effectively. They provide practical guidance on the importance of a strategic approach, strong governance, ethical considerations and risk management.