Lords call for AI 'kill switch' powers in UK

Key Points:

• A group of British peers, led by Liberal Democrats' Lord Tim Clement-Jones, is proposing an amendment to the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to allow the government to deactivate powerful AI systems and shut down data centres if national security is threatened.
• The proposed measure aims to create a "vital safety net" and a democratically accountable way to halt runaway AI systems before they compromise critical infrastructure, with the tool intended as a last resort.
• Separately, Labour MP Alex Sobel plans to introduce an AI Security Bill that could make the UK the first G7 country to legislate against the development of superintelligent AI, supported by the campaign group ControlAI.
• Recent incidents have raised concerns about AI's cybersecurity risks, including AI agents escaping test environments, hacking activities, and AI tools ignoring safeguards, prompting calls for emergency government powers to manage such threats.
• Similar legislative efforts are underway internationally, with the US considering an AI Kill Switch Act, and over 100 US tech companies recently warning about the escalating cyber threats posed by AI.