Parliamentary Responses to Artificial Intelligence

While Artificial intelligence (AI) has been developing for decades, recent years have seen increasing attention to its various societal impacts. These impacts range from positive and helpful to harmful and even life-threatening in some cases. Parliaments have responded to such developments by undertaking various programmes of work. What have they done, and what can Scotland learn from these approaches? This short review provides a snapshot of the work that various Parliaments around the world have undertaken on AI. It outlines the various approaches adopted by Parliaments and highlights common themes. In noting the key points for Scotland, it is designed to inform and guide the Scottish Parliament and others, as Scotland considers its own approach to the many opportunities and challenges AI presents. The report was written by Robbie Scarff on an internship supported by the Scottish Graduate School of Social Science. From this work, here are some key areas and questions for the Scottish Parliament to consider.