AI adoption must be guided by a clear direction from the government

According to the Institute for Public Policy Research, up to 70% of tasks performed by knowledge workers could be transformed using generative AI.

The think tank claims that government intervention is “urgently needed” to provide a “clear vision for AI’s place in everyday life”.

In partnership with Innovate UK, the BridgeAI programme and will lead research on responsible AI adoption.

IPPR asserts that rapid advancement of AI generative requires greater democratic oversight. 22,000 common tasks performed by workers are at risk of “significantly being transformed” or replacing by AI.

The report argues that AI policy is too focused on either speeding up adoption or ensuring security, instead of setting a “clear” and “purposeful” direction. It adds that politicians, citizens, and businesses need to work together to set specific AI targets.

Carsten Jung said that the AI Action Summit, which will be held in Paris, should focus on the ways AI policies can bring public value.

He said, “AI capabilities are improving at a breath-taking pace.” AI agents are a new way to demonstrate AI’s differences from previous technologies. It’s not just a tool, it’s an actor.

The AI technology will have a profound impact on society and the economy. It will create jobs, transform old ones and destroy others, and trigger the creation of new products and service. We can do things that we couldn’t do before. It is vital to use its enormous potential for change in order to help us solve the biggest societal issues.

IPPR calls on governments to establish clear policies for the use of AI. This includes tax and regulatory frameworks as well as measurable goals and funding mechanisms. The IPPR also recommends governments work with “civil society” and the private sector to guide AI development.

It adds that a robust oversight is required to ensure AI advances are aligned with the public interest.

Jung said: “Politics must catch up to the implications of powerful AI. We need to set goals beyond ensuring AI models remain safe. This requires a democratic debate, and the deployment of AI must be closely scrutinized.

The public will want to participate in setting up clear missions and limits. We all have an interest in the direction and achievement of this promise.

The government launched its AI Opportunity Action Plan at the beginning of the year. It aims to exploit the benefits of AI in the public sector, and create more than 13,000 new jobs.

Despite predictions of AI taking over many jobs in the future workers embrace AI adoption and are not afraid of it. A recent survey by the CIPD revealed that two-thirds would trust AI for important work decisions.

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