UK Prime Minister announces disinformation fight and AI
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the UN his government will combat foreign disinformation and seek global AI safety standards, citing alleged Russian
The United Kingdom will launch a new national body to counter disinformation and is forming an AI defence partnership with the United States. Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced these measures in his first address to the United Nations General Assembly, alleging a sustained assault on the information environment by hostile actors.
Mr. Burnham stated that recent years have witnessed an industrial-scale attack on information in the UK and its allies. He directly accused Russian agencies of using every available means to spread lies and disinformation, including bots, fake websites, and falsified news articles.
Allegations of election interference
The Prime Minister alleged that these actors amplified far-right narratives and presented evidence of attempts to interfere with the UK's 2019 General Election. He also claimed they tried to stoke tensions after tragic events, citing how false information online helped spark riots following the fatal stabbing of three girls in Southport in July 2024.
Mr. Burnham maintained the Kremlin spends roughly $1.7 billion on manipulating information and noted British entities have suffered cyber-attacks. He warned that artificial intelligence will multiply this threat.
New UK initiatives for defence
To address these challenges, the UK will establish a new National Centre for Information Defence. This centre will be tasked with detecting, attributing, and disrupting information attacks while supporting and defending democracy. The Prime Minister said the UK will also share its expertise with other nations, having already assisted Moldova in protecting elections from alleged Russian interference.
"As more elections approach across Europe, more nations are grappling with these issues, some for the first time," Mr. Burnham told the assembly. He framed the effort as vital for collective security and resilience.
A UK-US partnership on AI
On artificial intelligence, the Prime Minister described Frontier AI as one of the most significant challenges and opportunities of the age. He announced the development of a new AI defence partnership with the United States, specifically aimed at protecting critical national infrastructure.
Mr. Burnham stressed that fundamental decisions on AI must be taken by elected governments. He said the UK will work to bring the right people together to harness AI's potential for good while managing its risks.
The push for global standards
The Prime Minister committed the UK to working towards a single set of global principles and standards for AI. The goal is to ensure the transparency and access needed to increase preparedness and guarantee safe AI development. This aligns with the UN's ongoing position that addressing AI risks requires countries to adopt shared principles on governance.
Mr. Burnham concluded that these decisions are too important to be left to chance.
