UK pushes for more control over AI at London Tech Week

Sir Keir Starmer used London Tech Week to pressure Google and Apple to block access to naked images on smartphones for under-18s, giving them three months to activate existing safety settings or face legislation. The Government later confirmed plans to ban social-media apps, including YouTube, for children by next spring.

Sovereign AI became a central theme as speakers questioned how far the UK can deploy AI without dependence on other countries. Concerns focused on foreign chips, energy needs and compute capacity, alongside fears that US firms could dominate AI as they already do cloud computing and social media. UK start-up Cosine introduced Lumen Sovereign, an AI model running entirely on British infrastructure including Isambard, with backers such as BAE Systems and BT.

AI deployments also moved deeper into services. Eleven Labs said its next-gen voice agents already serve four million customers in 30 languages and announced a DSIT deal to explore voice AI for public services. David Lammy outlined AI legal assistants and tools for judges, while Prince William launched the Homelessness Data Lab with SalesForce and LandAid, bringing together 25 private and public sector organisations. Isomorphic Labs highlighted AI medicines built on AlphaFold, whose work helped Sir Demis Hassabis win the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.