Evidence submitted by a
Northumbria University researcher has been cited in a House of Lords Select
Committee report on artificial intelligence (AI).
Thomas Cheney is a PhD
candidate in space law and part of a research group at Northumbria Law School
led by Professor Christopher Newman, one of the UK and Europe’s leading experts
in space law and policy.
Responding to a call for
evidence from the House of Lords Select Committee, Thomas made a submission
based on his knowledge of legal issues arising from the exploration of space,
which he argued are relevant for AI. His written evidence has been cited twice
in the 180-page report entitled AI in the
UK: ready, willing and able? A recommendation for a global coordination policy
for AI to be led by the United Nations (UN) was also referenced.
Thomas said: “Many lessons
have been learned from the dawn of the space age that can help inform and
manage the growth of AI, and which I felt would assist the work of the Select
Committee. Based on our research here at Northumbria I suggested that the
nature of the technologies used in both crosses over borders and would benefit
significantly from international coordination and governance. Such an interconnected
model could also help smaller nations who may lack the resources and technology
to develop AI on their own.
“A UN-coordinated approach
to issues of governance and safety has been successful in space exploration,
and could fulfil a similar role for AI – especially around broader issues such
as cyber security.”
Professor Christopher
Newman added: “Having written evidence accepted in high profile and
policy-shaping Select Committee reports underlines the significance, quality
and impact of our research at Northumbria, and indeed of our researchers like
Thomas. It is extremely gratifying to see his work contributing to the
development of technologies of fundamental importance to society, such as AI.”
