Product Regulation and Metrology Bill [HL]

Lord Holmes of Richmond Excerpts

Report stage
Wednesday 26th February 2025 Lords Chamber

Moved by

[Lord Holmes of Richmond]

10: Clause 1, page 2, line 6, at end insert “, and includes production reliant on software or artificial intelligence.”

[Lord Holmes of Richmond (Con)]

My Lords, I shall speak also to Amendments 27, 34 to 37 and 40, also in my name. In a Bill that is completely absent of AI and silent on technology, how fortunate it is that we have a group of amendments dedicated almost exclusively to the subject of artificial intelligence. In measure of the hour, I will speak in depth only to three of the amendments, but the themes run through all of them—the sense of consumer protection through consumer awareness, and clarity for consumer, investor and innovator. Products are currently on the market that have been developed using AI, contain it and are controlled by it but with no ability for consumer or citizen to know that that is the case, nor is there any labelling or protection.

I shall speak particularly to Amendment 34, which would not in any sense cut across any of the Government’s plans for their AI journey and their potential AI Bill. It simply suggests that it would make sense that where AI is in a product, there is a label on that product to say that that is the case. Further, it says that a QR code should be deployed to give the consumer more detail on the power used in the AI in that product, and the energy and other natural resources used. It is simply a case of labelling a product so that consumers, citizens and all of us can be in the know that AI has been used.

On Amendments 36 and 37, I reserve the right to test the opinion of the House when we come to them next week. Amendment 36 is critical, as was demonstrated by the actions of musicians at the end of the Government’s consultation on IP and copyright. Musicians on Tuesday released a completely silent album to demonstrate the impact that AI is having and can have on music and all creative products. On tracks 1 and 2, there was complete silence, making the point that our creatives are currently having their works taken by AI with no remuneration, consent or respect.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Holmes of Richmond (Con)]

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have taken part in this short debate. I fear I might have got the noble Lord, Lord Fox, more on side if I talked about AI lawn-mowers, but perhaps that is for another evening. I thank the Minister for his response and for the offer of a meeting, which I am delighted to accept. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment 10 withdrawn.