The UK Government has reportedly postponed its plans to regulate AI for at least one year while it develops a more extensive legislative framework to oversee the technology. Its proposed AI bill is now expected to be introduced in the next parliamentary session, The Guardian reported, quoting UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle. The new bill will address key issues related to AI, such as safety and copyright.
However, this legislation will not be ready before the next King’s Speech, which sources told the publication could occur in May 2026. This delay may raise concerns about the ongoing lack of regulation in the rapidly advancing AI sector.
Initial AI bill focused on LLMs
Initially, the incumbent Labour Party had planned to introduce a narrowly focused AI bill shortly after taking office. This legislation would have targeted large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, and included requirements for companies to submit their models for evaluation by the UK’s AI Security Institute. The goal was to address potential risks posed by increasingly sophisticated AI models.
The decision to delay this initial bill stemmed from the government’s desire to align UK regulations with the US and avoid any regulations that might deter AI companies from expanding operations in the former. The current aim is to incorporate copyright regulations within the broader AI bill.
“We feel we can use that vehicle to find a solution on copyright,” a government source told The Guardian. “We’ve been having meetings with both creators and tech people and there are interesting ideas on moving forward. That work will begin in earnest once the data bill passes.”
The government’s stance on copyright has already led to a standoff with the House of Lords over a separate data bill. This bill would allow AI companies to use copyrighted material for training unless the rights holder opts out, a provision that has faced strong opposition from the creative sector. Notable artists like Elton John, Paul McCartney, and Kate Bush have supported campaigns against these changes.
Recently, Kyle sent a letter to the MPs committing to forming a cross-party parliamentary group to focus on AI and copyright issues.
Public calls for stronger government oversight on AI
The news report comes amid findings by the Ada Lovelace Institute and the Alan Turing Institute indicating that public sentiment strongly favours government oversight of AI. According to the survey, 88% of the UK public believe the government should have the authority to halt AI products posing severe risks. Additionally, over 75% of respondents prefer government or regulatory oversight of AI safety rather than relying solely on private companies.
Meanwhile, a PwC survey highlighted a significant rise in demand for AI skills in the UK, despite challenges in the global labour market. It found that job postings requiring AI skills consistently increased from 2012 to 2022. Although there was a slight decrease in overall AI job listings between 2023 and 2024, the share of AI-specific roles grew significantly.
Read more: UK government initiates AI collaboration with Europe to drive growth
