We are in currently in the foothills of a new technological revolution. Artificial intelligence has the potential to be as transformative in our lifetimes as the steam-powered economy of the 19th century.<\/p>\n
Already it\u2019s letting us to talk to our smartphones, recommending us music, describing photos for the visually impaired and flagging up fire risks in cities.<\/p>\n
In the near future we could see it deployed in everything from driverless cars, to intelligent energy grids, to the eradication of infectious diseases.<\/p>\n
In government too we are looking at the potential applications of this technology in the delivery of public services. Our Government Data Programme is increasing the number of projects and data scientists in government, while playing a leading role in establishing the appropriate use of these powerful new tools. As one the world\u2019s leading digital nations, artificial intelligence presents a huge opportunity for the UK.<\/p>\n
Artificial intelligence has arrived. In the online world it is already a part of everyday life, sitting invisibly behind a wide range of search engines and online commerce sites. It offers huge potential to enable more efficient and effective business and government but the use of artificial intelligence brings with it important questions about governance, accountability and ethics. Realising the full potential of artificial intelligence and avoiding possible adverse consequences requires societies to find satisfactory answers to these questions. This report sets out some possible approaches, and describes some of the ways government is already engaging with these issues.<\/p>\n
Artificial intelligence is not a distinct technology. It depends for its power on a number of prerequisites: computing power, bandwidth, and large-scale data sets, all of which are elements of \u2018big data\u2019, the potential of which will only be realised using artificial intelligence. If data is the fuel, artificial intelligence is the engine of the digital revolution.<\/p>\n
Much has already been written about the use of artificial intelligence and big data. This paper does not attempt to survey the whole field. Its origins lie in a seminar held at the British Academy in February 2016, chaired by Mark Walport, Government Chief Scientific Adviser and Mark Sedwill, Permanent Secretary at the Home Office, that discussed some of the legal and ethical issues around the use of artificial intelligence. The issues discussed there provide the core of this report, with additional material drawn from the views of a wide range of scientific and legal experts in the field, although we have sought to minimise detailed discussion of technical aspects in order to concentrate on the practical aspects of the debate. We hope that it serves as an introduction to the topic.<\/p>\n
The report considers the following questions:
\n\u2022 What is artificial intelligence and how is it being employed?
\n\u2022 What benefits is it likely to bring for productivity?
\n\u2022 How do we best manage any ethical and legal risks arising from its use?<\/p>\n