Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage public participation in questions around the use of AI and its impact on society, what role citizens assemblies might play in those plans, and how the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation will be involved.

In 2021 the Government published its National AI Strategy – a 10-year vision to make the UK an AI superpower by investing in our ecosystem, driving adoption of AI across sectors, and ensuring we get the governance of AI right. The strategy recognised that public trust and support in government’s approach to and use of AI was crucial to maximise its opportunities and value, whilst minimising its risks.

To develop the Strategy, the Government ran an open survey through the Alan Turing Institute. The survey received over 400 responses, in addition to having engaged over 250 organisations and businesses across different sectors.

The Government also ran a consultation to inform the AI regulation white paper, published this year. We heard from over 400 individuals and organisations, with a wide range of views represented including regulators, industry, academia, and civil society. The Government has also engaged regulators, businesses, start-ups, research groups, trade unions, charities and advocacy groups through roundtables and workshops.

In advance of Government’s AI Summit to be held this month, DSIT has engaged broadly with stakeholders to ensure voices and views of diverse groups and individuals have helped to shape the Summit’s focus. This included four official pre-Summit events with the Royal Society, the British Academy, techUK and The Alan Turing Institute as well as public Q&As on X and twitter.

We will continue to engage with the public to inform our approach to drive responsible innovation in AI including through the work of the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI). The CDEI’s Public Attitudes team conducts an ongoing programme of quantitative and qualitative research to engage the public on AI. This has recently included focus groups and deliberative dialogues with diverse groups to understand public attitudes towards the use of AI in society. CDEI also conducts a large-scale annual survey which monitors public attitudes to data-driven technology and AI, the latest wave of which will be published in November this year. CDEI disseminates the findings from its research widely, and the insight is used across government, academia and the private sector to help ensure trustworthy approaches to AI.