New status and investment for AI
AI data centres have become essential infrastructure and a part of daily life, and it is good that their vulnerability to attacks is being taken seriously – we are reminded of the recent Crowd Strike attack that impacted untold numbers of people and businesses, including healthcare. The new treaty aims to tackle threats posed by AI, as well as protecting human rights and the rule of law, while the new investment will help support defence against cyberattacks in the UK.
“Rapid adoption of AI and the need for a new generation of powerful, sovereign data centres to support it means they are becoming inextricably intertwined with critical national infrastructure, given the energy and water requirements they have,” said David Reed, Chief Knowledge Officer and Evangelist, DataIQ, and author of Winning With AI. “Recognising this within national security frameworks is an important step to shield commercial users of AI from the bad actors looking for ways to disrupt Western democratic societies.”
As the first legally binding international treaty on AI, the Convention aims to ensure there is a united front to managing the dangers of AI technology. Additionally, countries with substantial AI and data industries outside the Council of Europe are being invited to become signatories, including the US and Australia.
Once the treaty is ratified and brought into effect in the UK, existing laws and measures will be enhanced, which is why a level of flexibility in data operations and a thorough understanding of governance and regulations are required by all data-driven businesses.
The new CNI designation covers data including vital NHS, financial, and personal smartphone data. With this new status, the data collected and stored in these sectors is set to be safer from cyberattacks, environmental disasters, and IT blackouts. This comes off the back of a data and AI focus in the King’s Speech following the recent election where the government confirmed plans to introduce targeted legislation which will focus on the most powerful AI models being developed.
The benefits of AI can be lifesaving, including use in early cancer detection, but the dangers of AI misinformation and bias are very real. The UK’s AI Safety Institute launched in November 2023 as the world’s first state-backed body dedicated to AI safety, with a new agreement on AI safety with the US earlier this year.
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