UK politicians call on government to establish artificial intelligence commission

Leading UK MPs are calling on the government to set up a commission on artificial intelligence (AI) to examine the potential problems the technology could create for future generations. A report into the issue by the House of Commons science and technology committee, which was chaired by MP Dr Tania Mathias warned that the government is failing to prepare for how AI will "fundamentally" change people's lives. The research concluded that there is no strategy for developing the new skills workers will need to succeed as AI becomes more popular, and cautioned that more must be done to tackle the ethical and social problems posed by the advent of robots. "Concerns about machines'taking jobs' and eliminating the need for human labour have persisted for centuries. Nevertheless it is conceivable that we will see AI technology creating new jobs over the coming decades while at the same time displacing others," said Mathias. Dr Cotton-Barratt from the Future of Humanity Institute, who is quoted in the report, said that the UK is "well-positioned" to respond to this challenge.