AI Watch

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Economy and Planning has developed SUSTAIN, in partnership with the World Economic Forum and Bain & Company, as an AI-enabled platform due to launch in beta form in 2026...

On 21 April 2026, the High Court handed down its judgment in Thompson & Anor, R, dismissing a judicial review challenge to the Metropolitan Police Service's live facial recognition policy...

India has long been at the forefront of adopting and scaling technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) is no exception. Even before the recent surge in AI-driven tools, India was already demonstrating use of early forms of machine intelligence through machine-to-machine (M2M) technologies...

India is at a pivotal moment in its technological journey, undergoing rapid digital transformation. Not only is it emerging as a vast market for artificial intelligence (AI), it is also becoming a key player in shaping how AI is developed, deployed, and governed globally....

Governments rarely lack opinions on artificial intelligence. White papers proliferate, strategies are unveiled, and lofty ambitions are declared...

The Shared AI License (SAIL) Foundation is a new initiative through which participating companies grant each other patent licences covering AI foundation models...

Governments around the world are seeking to rapidly integrate artificial intelligence (“AI”) into public services, defence, and administrative functions. As AI capabilities...

Does the rapid integration of artificial intelligence into the professional environment create a fundamental tension between corporate drive and employee wellbeing?...

AI policy is no longer abstract.  For Scottish businesses, the question is no longer whether AI will shape operations, but how quickly and responsibly it will be put to work...

The artificial intelligence revolution is facing a significant hurdle: the data that powers it is running dry...

As reported in The Guardian, Artificial intelligence-powered mass surveillance is rapidly expanding across the African continent, raising serious concerns about privacy violations and the erosion of civil liberties...

The UK government has proposed reforms that could allow AI data centres to receive priority access to the electricity grid. On the other hand, the Home Builders Federation has warned that failing to prioritise connections for housing developments would amount to an effective "moratorium" on new homes.

The recently published CrowdStrike 2026 Global Threat Report reveals a stark reality: cyber adversaries are becoming faster, stealthier, and increasingly sophisticated.  Understanding these threats is essential to maintaining robust defences...

“It needs to be easier to legally prove what caused AI harm and who should pay for it.”

So says the Law Society’s chief executive Ian Jeffery. He has welcomed an initiative by the UK Jurisdiction Taskforce ...

The European Commission has published a draft Implementing Regulation establishing detailed procedural rules for enforcing the EU AI Act (Regulation 2024/1689) against providers of general-purpose AI models...

On Monday 2 March 2026 the UK government opened what is described as the “world’s most ambitious” consultation on social media.

OpenAI has confirmed that London will be home to its largest research and engineering hub outside of the United States. This landmark decision by one of the most significant firms in the generative AI era is a resounding endorsement of the UK’s position...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centres are coming to Scotland.  Thanks to its strong grid connections and abundant renewable energy, Scotland is becoming increasingly attractive location for building such data centres. 

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the landscape of modern policing. This has not been without controversy.  Last year, the West Midlands Police were criticised last year for using AI to formulate the evidential basis for banning ...

The past year has marked a decisive shift in the global artificial intelligence landscape. A new report by insurance brokerage, Gallagher, details the significant evolution of the environment.

The artificial intelligence revolution is placing an unprecedented strain on Great Britain's electricity grid. This has prompted the energy regulator to embark on a sweeping overhaul of how data centres secure their power connections. 

AI is rapidly moving from experimental novelty to operational reality. Whether navigating city streets or shaping consumer behaviour, businesses are embedding AI into core functions, raising fresh questions about regulation and accountability under UK law.

Despite the increased adoption of AI tools by businesses, many organisations continue to face the challenge of “shadow AI”.

The shift from generative assistants to autonomous agentic AI is officially on the FCA’s radar.

Launched on 27 January 2026, the Mills Review asks for engagement on how UK financial services will be regulated through to 2030.

On 4 February 2026, Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls, delivered a keynote address as part of the “Justice for All” series (which examines the future of the justice system).

In January 2026, Bandcamp, an online music distribution platform which describes itself as an online record store and music community, announced a formal ban on music and audio generated "wholly or in substantial part" by AI. T

New research by MIT has highlighted a growing challenge for machine learning in clinical settings: some large models trained on de‑identified electronic health records (EHRs) may unintentionally memorise elements of training data in such a waythat, when prompted, could reveal sensitive patient information.

With copyright and AI training increasingly colliding, the European Commission has taken its next major step toward clarifying how rightsholder protections will operate under the AI Act. 

The UK government is stepping up its efforts to establish national artificial intelligence capabilities by unveiling a new collaboration with Meta. The aim is to create open‑source AI tools to improve transport systems, enhance public safety, and support defence operations.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) released the AI Opportunities Action Plan: One Year On progress report on 29 January 2026. This report evaluates the delivery of 50 recommendations established in early 2025 to scale the United Kingdom’s artificial intelligence sector. 

The UK Jurisdiction Taskforce (UKJT) has opened a consultation on its draft Legal Statement addressing liability for AI harms under the private law of England and Wales. It’s seeking stakeholder views on whether the draft (annexed to the consultation) adequately tackles the key areas of uncertainty around how liability should be assigned when AI systems cause damage.

On 26 January 2026, CMS representatives joined the AI APPG in conversation with Yan LeCun and other experts. In this article, you will find a summary of the key insights from this thought-provoking session.

The First-Tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber) has agreed to let an appeal move forward, despite finding “professionally incompetent” use of AI and other procedural missteps. 

Recently, machine learning engineers have developed recursive language models (RLMs) – a new way of using large language models (LLMs) so they can complete long-context tasks.  

The rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) presents a clear paradox. While AI can significantly strengthen climate resilience and improve environmental decision making, the process of developing and running these systems consumes considerable energy, generates carbon emissions and places pressure on water resources.

Matthew McConaughey has registered trade marks of various short audio and video clips of himself, including his catchphrase “Alright, alright, alright”.  According to his lawyers, these rights could be used to prevent unauthorised (deepfake) copies of him. 

Strategically underperforming is not something typically found in human behaviour, yet the AI security institute has found that AI models are sometimes able to strategically underperform (sandbag) when prompted to do so (such as to evade control).