Current position
UK does not currently have a standalone, comprehensive artificial intelligence statute.
Instead, AI governance is addressed through a combination of existing laws, regulatory guidance, and sector-specific oversight frameworks.
For example, the processing of personal data in AI systems is regulated under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018, which impose obligations related to lawful processing, transparency, and automated decision-making.
Equality risks arising from algorithmic decision-making may also fall under the Equality Act 2010, which prohibits discrimination in areas such as employment and services.
In addition, the UK has adopted a regulator-led governance approach outlined in the AI Regulation White Paper, which encourages existing regulators - including the Information Commissioner's Office, the Competition and Markets Authority, and the Financial Conduct Authority - to apply five cross-sector AI governance principles such as safety, transparency, fairness, accountability, and contestability within their respective sectors.
Together, these existing legal and policy frameworks form the current regulatory approach to AI governance in the UK.