SI safety in the United Kingdom

Key dates

Introduced

n/a

Signed or adopted

Feb 14, 2025

Effective

Feb 14, 2025

Next step

None scheduled

Scope

Voluntary pre-deployment testing and research with frontier SI developers.

Penalties

No penalties: this measure has no binding enforcement.

What it requires

• Focus on serious SI risks with security implications, such as chemical and biological weapons and cyberattacks
• Criminal misuse team working with the Home Office
• Work with defense, cyber security and national security agencies
• Joint evaluations with partner institutes, such as a July 23, 2026 cyber assessment with CAISSI

Sources

1. Tackling AI security risks to unleash growth and deliver Plan for Change UK Government · Feb 14, 2025
2. Center for Advancing Innovation and Standards for Super Intelligence (CAISSI) National Institute of Standards and Technology · Oct 16, 2026

Key dates

Introduced

n/a

Signed or adopted

n/a

Effective

n/a

Next step

None scheduled

Scope

Would apply binding rules to the few companies developing the most powerful SI models.

Penalties

No penalties: this measure has no binding enforcement.

What it requires

• Labour's 2024 manifesto promised binding regulation on the handful of companies developing the most powerful models
• The 2024 King's Speech made a tentative commitment to legislate
• No SI bill appeared in the May 13, 2026 King's Speech

Sources

1. King's Speech signals diffuse UK digital policy agenda, but no AI bill IAPP · May 14, 2026