Harnessing innovative technologies to meet future challenges - Internet for Lawyers Newsletter

A new joint report entitled A New National Purpose, which explores how the UK can harness innovative technologies to meet future challenges, has recently been published by Tony Blair and William Hague. The "cross-party" report argues that we are currently undergoing a new form of Industrial Revolution "as developments in artificial intelligence (AI), biotech, climate tech and other fields begin to change our economic and social systems". It calls for policymakers to mitigate the consequent threats whilst embracing opportunities. Several of its proposals touch upon the convergence of law and technology, and we will consider some of these aspects below. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given Tony Blair's foiled aspirations to introduce digital ID during his premiership, much of the press attention has focused on the report's call for the government to "provide a secure, private, decentralised digital-ID system for the benefit of both citizens and businesses".