For some companies attending London Tech Week this Monday, just being there is an achievement. The sudden failure in March of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a financial cornerstone for the UK and US tech industries, had left many British companies wondering how they were going to see out that month. Ashley Ramrachia, chief executive of Academy, a tech company with headquarters in Manchester, said the first he knew of SVB's troubles was on Wednesday 8 March. By Thursday, Ramrachia and others were trying, unsuccessfully, to withdraw funds. By Friday, the Bank of England said it planned to put SVB's UK operation into insolvency and Ramrachia was one of 3,500 customers in Britain scrambling to deal with the consequences.

A new paper published by the Government on the 18th July 2018 called'Establishing A Pro-Innovation Approach To Regulating AI' states that the regulation of artificial intelligence in the UK will be underpinned by 6 core principles designed to manage the risks that come with the technology. The six core principles will be applied across all sectors of the economy on a non-statutory basis, complemented by context-specific regulatory guidance and voluntary standards that will be implemented by UK regulators such as the Information Commissioner's Office. Hence, there will be no central AI regulator, but instead sector regulators who will apply the 6 core principles to artificial intelligence systems operated within the area they oversee. Given these proposals, the UK is adopting a far more light-touch risk-based approach compared to the more prescriptive and standardized one being pursued by the EU, which published its draft AI Act back in 2021. The UK approach to artificial intelligence will instead focus upon proportionality, with the regulatory framework for artificial intelligence systems being determined by the industry and context in which the system is being deployed.

AI and big data are perfect companions, right? It's indisputable that access to huge volumes of data allows AI assistants to deliver better, faster, more-accurate responses. But there are downsides too. For example, is this reliance on huge amounts of data sustainable or ethical? And if you need 1,000,000 examples to create an application, do time and money become too big a barrier for many developments?

On Tuesday 17 November techUK will be hosting its sixth AI Leaders Lunchtime Lecture with Dragoș Tudorache Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and Chair of the Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Age (AIDA). During this virtual hour-long session Dragoș will provide his thoughts on the latest developments, and opportunities in Europe for AI and key challenges or issues that need to be addressed to ensure we get our AI future right. These AI Leaders Lunchtime Lectures present the chance for attendees not just to increase their own knowledge and understanding of the latest development and innovations in AI but also to raise questions and issues for discussion. So grab a sandwich, login and spend your lunchbreak learning from the best minds in the community! If you would like to join techUK's lunchtime AI Leader's seminar with Dragoș, please register to receive dial-in details.

NHSX has published guidelines for the health service on the use of AI, emphasising the need for the workforce to develop the appropriate skills. Titled Artificial intelligence: how to get it right, the document from the Government's policy unit for digital and data in healthcare includes a section on the challenges facing the NHS workforce in using the technology. Other sections take in an overview of AI, its governance, the data that it uses and'what good looks like' and how to monitor the impact of the technology. It says a primary focus will be on expertise in critical thinking at senior levels to evaluate the potential for AI to provide benefits in any given situation. This will include a technical understanding of requirements for the evidence base and the computing resource needed. In addition, NHS staff will need support in understanding the ethical considerations, and there will be a need for analytical skills to interpret complex information.

The UK's success in the field of robotic surgery could be hampered if the country loses its research partnerships with Europe after Brexit, according to a new study. The study's authors said there was a "consensus" that Brexit was likely to "undermine the UK's status as a global leader in science and innovation". Robotic surgery has been touted as one of the technologies that is key to future growth in the UK, according to the Imperial College London study, and international collaboration is key to that success. Dr George Garas, lead author of the study from the department of surgery and cancer at Imperial College London, said: "There is a consensus within the scientific and healthcare communities that Brexit is likely to undermine the UK's status as a global leader in science and innovation. "We need to understand what the impact of losing the existing valuable EU links would be so as to tactically plan the UK's research and innovation strategy after Brexit." The UK currently ranks third in the world for robotic surgery innovation, behind Italy and the US. The best scenario following Brexit would be for the UK to continue its research partnerships with the EU, the study's authors suggested. If this isn't possible, the UK should look to collaborate with the US. But under this scenario the UK's research impact would ultimately suffer unless its new US partners were the top-performing ones in the field, the study found. "Our research shows that in the field of robotic surgery research, replacing EU partners with top US collaborators might maintain or even improve the UK's position," Dr Garas said. "Unfortunately, in the short term this could be difficult and costly.

Parents worry about their children's future. Thanks to the proliferation of technologies such as AI and automation, it's understandable; if robots can do almost any job, what type of careers will be left for our children? The future of work seems bleak. But those who sit in the two camps; they work in tech, but also have kids, are a little more optimistic. At least, a new report from techUK, Preparing for change: How tech parents view education and the future of work, found that parents working for tech companies are optimistic about the future job market, but they do hold reservations about whether children are being prepared properly.

LONDON, UK – Much has been made of the international race for AI supremacy between the respective global superpowers of China and the US, with some commentators even pushing an'AI Cold War' angle. These two key focal points for AI interest and innovation may impress with their sheer resources and spending, but some of the greatest advancements in AI are coming out of smaller economies with much less firepower. Britain has for centuries punched above its weight in enterprise and business, and is today considered to have one of the strongest digital economies in the world. As this small, rainy island looks inward and asks difficult questions about its place in the world, the British AI sector is one area where the path forward is clear – as the recent Lords AI report indicated. From their offices near St. Pauls Cathedral in London, TechUK are certainly at the crossroads of many different strands of innovation going into British tech and enterprise.

Prime minister Theresa May has set out her ambition for the UK to harness the power of technology, but warned of the dangers of unethical use of digital technologies and platforms. Get an expert look at the government's ideas for a prosperous post-Brexit Britain as well as its ambitious 5G strategy. You forgot to provide an Email Address. This email address doesn't appear to be valid. This email address is already registered.