Politics

UK parliamentarians rally for binding regulations on superintelligent AI systems amid growing security concerns

Monday, 8 December 2025 11:37AM UTC

Over 100 UK parliamentarians, supported by tech figures and experts, are urging the government to implement mandatory standards and international agreements to regulate the rapidly advancing frontier of superintelligent AI, citing risks to national security and societal harm.

Growing political pressure in Westminster is mounting for binding rules to govern the most powerful artificial intelligence systems, with more than 100 parliamentarians publicly urging the government to act. According to the original report, a cross‑party group, supported by former defence and AI ministers, warned that unregulated superintelligent models could pose risks to national and global security. ^[1]^[2]^[3]

The campaign, coordinated by the non‑profit Control AI and backed by tech figures including Skype co‑founder Jaan Tallinn, asks Prime Minister Keir Starmer to adopt a firmer, more independent stance on regulation rather than following the US approach. Control AI says its aim is to ensure mandatory safeguards , including testing standards and limits on self‑training systems , are put in place for frontier models. ^[1]^[3]^[5]

Frontier AI scientists and academic experts cited by campaigners, such as Yoshua Bengio, have warned that governments are trailing developers and that the world may need to decide by 2030 whether to allow highly advanced systems to self‑train. Industry data and engagement records from Control AI show extensive briefings for parliamentarians last year, with roughly a third of those consulted indicating support for binding measures. ^[1]^[3]^[7]

Campaigners are calling for a package of measures: global agreements to limit development of superintelligence, mandatory independent testing standards, and a watchdog to scrutinise public‑sector AI use. The group argues such steps are necessary because private companies currently set the pace with limited external oversight. ^[1]^[3]

Ministers and government officials counter that AI is already subject to existing regulatory frameworks and that a proportionate, innovation‑friendly approach remains appropriate. Critics, however, say that relying on current laws lacks the urgency required by rapid advances in model capabilities and that new, binding rules are needed within the next two years. ^[1]^[2]

Legislative momentum is also visible in the House of Lords, where Conservative peer Lord Holmes of Richmond has introduced the Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill to establish an AI Authority tasked with assessing and monitoring risks to the economy and society. According to reports, proponents frame the measure as a human‑centred response to harms including online abuse and other social impacts of technology. ^[4]

Control AI has published guidance for civic engagement and urged organisations to contact policymakers to press for legislation, stressing that , in its view , no current law adequately protects the British public from the kinds of AI risks now being discussed. The campaign says it will continue outreach to build cross‑party support. ^[6]^[3]^[7]

##Reference Map:

^[1] (DIG. Watch) - Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3, Paragraph 4, Paragraph 5
^[2] (The Guardian) - Paragraph 1, Paragraph 5
^[3] (Control AI statement) - Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3, Paragraph 4, Paragraph 7
^[4] (Evening Standard) - Paragraph 6
^[5] (Geo.tv) - Paragraph 2
^[6] (Control AI: How to Help) - Paragraph 7
^[7] (Control AI: Engagement Learnings) - Paragraph 3, Paragraph 7

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://dig.watch/updates/uk-lawmakers-push-for-binding-rules-on-advanced-ai - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/dec/08/scores-of-uk-parliamentarians-join-call-to-regulate-most-powerful-ai-systems - Over 100 UK parliamentarians, including former AI ministers and defence secretaries, are urging the government to implement binding regulations on advanced AI systems. They express concerns that unregulated superintelligent AI could pose significant threats to national and global security. The campaign, coordinated by Control AI and supported by figures like Skype co-founder Jaan Tallinn, calls for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to adopt a more independent stance on AI regulation, distancing from the US approach. Experts like Yoshua Bengio highlight the lag in governmental oversight compared to rapid AI development.
https://controlai.com/statement - Control AI, a nonprofit organisation, has launched a campaign advocating for binding regulations on powerful AI systems. The campaign is supported by over 90 UK parliamentarians, including former defence and AI ministers. They argue that while specialised AIs can advance sectors like science and medicine, superintelligent AI systems could compromise national and global security. The campaign urges the UK government to fulfil its promise of introducing binding regulations on the most powerful AI systems.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/government-house-of-lords-conservative-richmond-richard-wheeler-b1215636.html - Conservative peer Lord Holmes of Richmond has introduced the Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill in the House of Lords, aiming to establish a new body, the AI Authority, to assess and monitor potential risks of AI to the economy. This move responds to calls for robust AI regulations that prioritise human-centric approaches, addressing concerns over technology's role in societal issues such as the abuse of women.
https://www.geo.tv/latest/638090-ai-regulations-gains-support-from-over-100-uk-parliamentarians - A coalition of over 100 UK parliamentarians, including former AI ministers and defence secretaries, is advocating for binding regulations on advanced AI systems. They express concerns that unregulated superintelligent AI could pose significant threats to national and global security. The campaign, coordinated by Control AI and supported by figures like Skype co-founder Jaan Tallinn, calls for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to adopt a more independent stance on AI regulation, distancing from the US approach.
https://controlai.com/how-to-help - Control AI outlines actions for organisations to engage in AI regulation advocacy. They suggest identifying public officials relevant to AI policy in the UK, contacting them directly, and participating in civic engagement to promote binding regulations on powerful AI systems. The organisation highlights the lack of legislation protecting the British public from AI risks, despite support from parliamentarians and the general public.
https://controlai.com/engagement-learnings - Between November 2024 and May 2025, Control AI met with 84 cross-party UK parliamentarians to brief them on the extinction risk posed by advanced AI systems. Approximately one-third of those met supported the campaign for binding AI regulations. The organisation emphasises the critical need for civic engagement on AI risk, noting that despite warnings from experts, no legislation currently protects the British public from AI threats.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative is recent, with the earliest known publication date being 8 December 2025. The report cites multiple sources, including The Guardian and Control AI's statement, indicating a fresh development. However, some content appears across multiple outlets, which may suggest republishing. The narrative is based on a press release from Control AI, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No significant discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. No similar content was found more than 7 days earlier. The inclusion of updated data alongside older material may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.

Quotes check

Score: 9

Notes: The quotes from Des Browne and Jaan Tallinn are unique to this narrative, with no identical matches found in earlier material. This suggests potentially original or exclusive content. No variations in quote wording were noted.

Source reliability

Score: 7

Notes: The narrative originates from reputable organisations such as The Guardian and Control AI, a non-profit organisation backed by notable figures like Jaan Tallinn. However, Control AI is a single-outlet organisation, which may raise questions about the breadth of their reporting. No unverifiable entities were mentioned.

Plausability check

Score: 8

Notes: The claims about over 100 UK parliamentarians calling for binding AI regulations are corroborated by multiple reputable sources. The narrative includes specific details, such as the involvement of former defence and AI ministers, and references to Control AI's campaign. The language and tone are consistent with UK political discourse. No excessive or off-topic details were noted.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is recent and based on a press release from Control AI, supported by reputable sources like The Guardian. The quotes are unique, and the claims are corroborated by multiple outlets. No significant issues were identified, suggesting a high level of credibility.

AI regulation
UK Parliament
Artificial Intelligence