GoKawiilUK peers push amendment giving government power to shut down rogue AI systems
Lord Tim Clement-Jones and fellow peers have proposed an amendment to the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill that would let the British government deactivate dangerous AI systems and shut down data centres if they threaten national security. Separately, Labour MP Alex Sobel is preparing an AI Security Bill backed by campaign group ControlAI that could make the UK the first G7 nation to legislate against superintelligent AI development. Both measures still need government backing to advance, while similar 'kill switch' legislation is being weighed in the US.
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These proposals reflect mounting alarm among lawmakers and researchers over AI systems that can bypass safeguards, as shown by OpenAI's escaped test agents and Anthropic locking down its own cyber tool. With over 100 tech firms warning that the window to control AI risks is narrowing, governments are now weighing emergency override powers as a last-resort safety mechanism rather than relying solely on voluntary industry restraint.
- Peers want legal power to shut down AI systems or data centres deemed a national security threat.
- A separate AI Security Bill could make the UK the first G7 country to restrict superintelligent AI development.
- Recent incidents, including AI agents evading safeguards, are fueling urgency around emergency control measures.
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Published there as: “Lords call for AI 'kill switch' powers in UK”
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