Last summer, I had the honour of joining the largest group of new MPs in modern history. Standing with my colleagues, it became clear that I was entering parliament at a pivotal moment, facing a sluggish economy and instability abroad.
Years of Conservative mismanagement have burdened the UK with stagnant growth and public services on the brink. We can no longer rely on Donald Trump’s US as a reliable trade partner, given the president’s penchant with potentially economically damaging tariffs.
But the new industrial revolution of artificial intelligence presents a unique opportunity to tackle these crises. The government’s recent AI Opportunities Action Plan acknowledges this, and while this is an important first step, Labour’s current approach falls short of positioning the UK as a global leader in trustworthy technology. The UK is a leader in AI development, home to pioneering companies like DeepMind. However, we lag behind other economies in AI adoption. To bridge this gap, we must build public trust in AI and shift the culture to recognise its opportunities. This starts with ensuring the UK leads in high-quality, trustworthy AI development.
Unfortunately, the government seems to think safety and innovation can’t be reconciled. This is a mistake. The two must go hand-in-hand. Without trust, AI adoption will falter, and we risk missing out on its potential.
As the Ada Lovelace Institute emphasises, trust around data and technology is crucial for both inclusion and economic growth. Last month, we heard that the government will rename the AI Safety Institute as the AI Security Institute. Perhaps this is a branding exercise – a PR move to cosy up to Elon Musk and other tech barons. But buried in the release was the startling admission that the Institute will abandon its focus on bias and free speech.
This came just days after Labour’s failure to sign the Paris Agreement on AI Safety – another grave error. Instead of embracing international cooperation, as European allies have done, the government was seemingly grovelling to Trump and Musk. This position is ironic, especially given London’s parallel AI Fringe event to the Paris talks, focused on a more collaborative and inclusive AI ecosystem. Such short-sightedness undermines our reputation for good governance and reliability – a reputation that supports our globally trusted legal and financial systems. If Labour wants economic growth, it must recognise that safety and trust are vital for the UK’s success in services.
The government’s stance on AI and the creative industries is another misstep. AI should be a game-changing tool for creatives, but by proposing that creators should submit to unlicensed use of their works for AI training, Labour has created needless conflict with a sector identified as a key growth driver. Our world-leading creatives are being asked to surrender intellectual property rights that have underpinned their success for decades. Paul McCartney and Elton John are among 40,000 creatives urging the government to reconsider.
As the third-largest party in parliament, the Liberal Democrats will be the voice pushing for an AI revolution that can deliver growth for everyone. The UK can and must lead the world in AI-driven growth. That means putting trust at the centre of AI policy, standing firm on global cooperation, and ensuring no one is left behind.
This article first appeared in our Spotlight Igniting Growth supplement of 14 March 2025.
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