Professor Dame Wendy Hall warns that AI policymaking is dominated by a male-centric approach, which she calls a ‘tech bro takeover’.
- Almost all senior roles in AI policymaking have been filled by men following the disbandment of the government’s AI Council last year.
- The government’s AI safety summit was critiqued for its lack of diverse representation, focusing predominantly on business executives.
- Exeter MP Steve Race described the AI Safety Summit as ineffective, lacking significant outcomes.
- The Labour government promises a more inclusive approach to AI regulation, contrasting the previous government’s strategy.
In recent discussions, Professor Dame Wendy Hall has raised concerns about the male-dominated landscape of AI policymaking, describing it as a ‘tech bro takeover’. Hall’s remarks, delivered at the Oxford Generative AI Summit, reflect her unease with the current state of AI leadership, particularly following the dissolution of the government’s AI Council, which previously included significant female representation.
Reflecting on recent developments, Hall criticised the lack of inclusivity at the government’s AI safety summit. The event, held at Bletchley Park last November, was predominantly attended by government officials and industry leaders, with minimal representation from women and academics. Hall highlighted this as an example of exclusion, stressing the importance of involving all societal sectors in AI discussions, as the field’s advancements are crucial to future generations.
Further critiques of the current policy environment were voiced by Exeter MP Steve Race at the 2024 Labour Party Conference. Race labelled the previous year’s AI Safety Summit as a missed opportunity, mentioning that the UK’s aim to lead global AI regulation was not supported by concrete actions at the summit. He praised the UK for its capability to convene international discussions on AI due to its reputable regulatory history, but lamented the summit’s lack of impactful results.
Adding to the discourse, Casey Calista, chair of Labour Digital, expressed the Labour Party’s commitment to a more inclusive regulatory approach. She pointed out that the previous government’s failure lay in treating civil society as an ‘afterthought’. Calista affirmed that the Labour government would focus on incorporating diverse perspectives, thus adopting a comprehensive ‘whole of society’ strategy for AI governance as opposed to the narrower focus observed previously.
The debate over AI policymaking underscores the need for diverse voices and inclusive strategies in shaping the future of artificial intelligence.
