AI can transform society for the better - but risks must be tackled: Chloe Smith

Against this backdrop, we need to work even harder to make sure that the values and fundamental principles of democracy are embedded in the design, development, deployment, and governance of new technologies.

Strengthening collaboration with industry, academia and civil society around the world, not just among OECD countries, is essential to achieve that vision.

We know that technology and scientific discovery are key to realising our future prosperity and wellbeing - as long as the critical foundations of digital infrastructure, digital skills and digital literacy are addressed first.

In fact, when you take three of our biggest global challenges - food, fuel, and healthcare - it’s clear that those opportunities are already here.

Right now, engineering biology is revolutionising agriculture, developing crops that are more resilient and nutritious, enabling us to take enormous steps towards achieving our Zero Hunger sustainable development goal.

Engineering biology is also bringing us closer to delivering affordable, reliable, sustainable energy for all, through advances in everything from carbon capture technology and the bioremediation of pollution to the sustainable production of new materials and biofuels.

And the chance for change is just as exciting in enhanced healthcare. Speaking personally for a moment, I’ve beaten breast cancer, and cancer will have touched many of us in this very room. So we can be excited that AI-powered image analysis tools can help doctors to identify cancer cells more accurately, while Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are being used to create immersive experiences that can help patients to better understand their condition and empower them to shape their own care.

We must do all we can to seize these opportunities. But, of course, they come with risks, too. We know that there are real and legitimate concerns about how to ensure that the transformative power of tech is harnessed safely and responsibly.

We know that virtual reality, for example, has the power to bring people together in new ways. To revolutionise education, training, entertainment and a whole host of other sectors. But, like social media, we want to ensure that this immersive world does not become a breeding ground for hate or intolerance.

Discrimination can be baked into algorithmic decision-making, too.

The data that Generative AI is trained on, for example, is overwhelmingly created by people in wealthy, developed countries, making these powerful tools less relevant to those in poorer parts of the world.

And there are risks elsewhere. Synthetic Biology has the potential to revolutionise many aspects of our lives, making them longer, happier, and healthier. But it could also be used to create new pathogens that threaten human health, and bioweapons that could be used to harm people or disrupt critical infrastructure.

So, the question we must ask ourselves is: how do we put people at the centre of our technological future, protecting democracy, freedom, and human rights, while capturing those benefits.

These are powerful new questions, and old answers just won’t do.

We do need to look to innovation, creativity and flexibility. We need to work with business to grow economies – creating jobs and prosperity for citizens, building public trust.

Chloe Smith is Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology. This is an edited version of a speech to the Global Forum for Technology.