Artificial Intelligence: National Security Implications

Debate between Baroness Lloyd of Effra and Viscount Stansgate

Tuesday 16th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

The AI Security Institute did test Mythos and Fable before they were launched. In light of the risks that they potentially posed—Mythos in particular—we also gave advice to our companies. We worked carefully with the National Cyber Security Centre to provide advice to companies and regulators on what needed to be done because, generally speaking, what we find with these potential new capabilities is that many of the basic mitigants that you need to take will inhibit the effectiveness of these new models. In respect of regulation, as I mentioned a moment ago, we continue to support the effectiveness of sector-based regulators regulating AI risks as they approach their sectors. They are best placed to know what those risks are and what the mitigants will be.

[Viscount Stansgate (Lab)]

My Lords, I commend the Government on having introduced the Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill, whose remaining stages are, as it happens, going through another place this very day. The House knows—or, if it does not, it is rapidly coming to understand—that AI is being used to manufacture and promote all kinds of cyber threats and scams. Looking beyond the legislation, what more can the Government do to ensure, whether through the AI Security Institute or by other means, that the risks of AI can be mitigated not just for individuals but for businesses and indeed for the Government themselves?

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

My noble friend highlights the importance of us being incredibly vigilant on cyber security. He highlights the important role that the cyber security Bill will play in bringing data centres, large load controllers and managed service providers into the regulatory ambit, as it were, but he is also right that we need to do more. The National Cyber Security Centre supports organisations through Cyber Essentials. It published new joint guidance with the AISI on preparing cyber defences for frontier AI. My noble friend also mentioned the importance of the Government taking cyber security seriously, which is what they have set out to do through the Government’s cyber action plan.

Social Media: Non-consensual Sexual Deepfakes

Debate between Baroness Lloyd of Effra and Viscount Stansgate

Wednesday 14th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

The proposed offence will target tools which are specifically designed to generate non-consensual intimate images. General purpose AI tools which are not designed solely or principally to generate non-consensual images will not be included; this is for those that are designed specifically for that purpose.

[Viscount Stansgate (Lab)]

My Lords, I hope the whole House welcomes the Secretary of State’s Statement. Can my noble friend say whether it is thought that the social media platform X understands the revulsion caused by its AI Grok tool? I ask this question of my noble friend because the reported comments of the founder of X certainly suggest that he does not, and some aspects of the initial reaction by the company, such as saying it is acceptable as long as it is paid for, suggest that that it simply has no idea about the strength of the public reaction to this.

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

I cannot speak for others but, from our perspective, it is clear under the Online Safety Act what illegal content is, and what the child safety duties are. Operating in the United Kingdom means abiding by those; it means doing the risk assessments, taking swift action against priority offences, and abiding by all of the regime in place here in the UK.