THE Tory government’s “adaptable” approach to regulating artificial intelligence (AI) is “flimsy and vague,” unions warned today after Downing Street published a new white paper on the subject. 

The document “spectacularly fails to ensure that employment law keeps pace with the AI revolution” in workplaces and elsewhere, TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said.

He also accused ministers of “passing the buck” by planning to use existing regulators in different sectors, rather than setting up a dedicated regulatory body for AI.

Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan claimed that her approach would “strike a balance between regulation and innovation, build public trust in the rapidly developing technology and tap its economic potential.”

She urged existing regulators, which have a year to issue new guidance before any new legislation is introduced, to consider “safety, transparency and fairness to guide the use of AI in their industries.”

But Labour blasted the delay, with shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell saying: “This regulation will take months, if not years, to come into effect. Meanwhile, ChatGPT, Google’s Bard and many others are making AI a regular part of our everyday lives.

“The government risks reinforcing gaps in our existing regulatory system and making the system hugely complex for businesses and citizens to navigate.”

Paddy Lillis, general secretary of retail union Usdaw, repeated his call for a “new deal for workers,” amid warnings that new tech will mean that an estimated 90 per cent of employees needing to retrain by 2030.

He told the Morning Star: “We need a new deal that offers real investment in skills and training, that provides well-paid, high-quality and secure employment and recognises the value of trade unions.

“Employers and governments must work alongside unions to protect workers and make the future of work fair and just for all.”