UK not ready for robot uprising, MPs warn government - Computer Business Review

Science fiction is slowly becoming science fact, claims science and technology committee. The UK is not well prepared for how artificial intelligence (AI) and robots will fundamentally reshape the way people live and work, lawmakers have warned in a report. The Science and Technology Committee urged the government to establish a commission for examining the social, ethical and legal implications of recent and potential developments in AI and robots. The committee's interim chairwoman Tania Mathias said: "At present, 'AI machines' have narrow and specific roles, such as in voice-recognition or playing the board game'Go'. "But science fiction is slowly becoming science fact, and robotics and AI look destined to play an increasing role in our lives over the coming decades." The report cited driverless cars, supercomputers that help with medical diagnoses, and intelligent tutoring systems as examples of areas where AI is transforming day to day life, raising questions on the transparency of AI decision-making and privacy. It also noted that the government's leadership in AI has been lacking even though UK-startups and universities have made huge contributions to the field from a technological point of view. Mathias said: "Some major technology companies – including Google and Amazon – have recently come together to form the'Partnership on AI'.