The impact of the UK-US AI safety MOU on HR: ‘AI is the defining tech of our generation’

AI remains the topic of the moment for businesses around the world.

In fact, just this week, Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan, described it as being just as impactful as previous technological innovations, like the printing press, electricity, computers and the internet.

Dimon wrote in his annual letter to shareholders that generative AI has the power to “reimagine entire business workflows”, as well as entire workplaces.

He predicted that “our use of AI has the potential to augment virtually every job, as well as impact our workforce composition”.

However, the letter also addressed concerns about the ethical use of AI in business.

Dimon noted that AI risks needed to “rigorously managed”, and that organizations need to work closely with governments, regulators and external experts to counter biases associated with AI models.

The good news is that governments across the world are doubling down on AI regulation. The latest news comes from the UK and US governments who have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on AI safety.

Inside the UK and US partnership on AI safety

Following on from the UK’s AI Safety Summit in November 2023, the US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and the UK Tech Secretary Michelle Donelan met up to sign the MOU.

The partnership sees the UK and the US commit to working together to ensure AI is safely and securely developed and in a trustworthy manner.

The ultimate plan is to develop an international standard for testing the safety of AI algorithms, whether they are used for national security, in businesses or by consumers.

Talking about the MOU, Secretary Raimondo shared: “AI is the defining technology of our generation” – but, of course, it comes with some risks.

“Our partnership makes clear that we aren’t running away from these concerns – we’re running at them,” adds Raimondo.

“By working together, we are furthering the long-lasting special relationship between the U.S. and UK and laying the groundwork to ensure that we’re keeping AI safe both now and in the future.”

Donelan added: “We have always been clear that ensuring the safe development of AI is a shared global issue.

“Only by working together can we address the technology’s risks head on and harness its enormous potential to help us all live easier and healthier lives.”

Given the extent to which AI is being implemented into workplaces – and the involvement that HR leaders have in implementing business AI tools – UNLEASH was keen to delve into the impact of AI safety regulation, including through this new MOU, on HR and HR tech.

We spoke to HR and AI experts to get their perspectives and advice.

What the UK, US AI MOU means for HR teams

Bernard Marr, AI Advisor and best-selling Author, tells UNLEASH that this MOU is a “significant development” for HR leaders and the broader HR tech space”.

This is because “it signals a growing recognition of the importance of ensuring AI is developed and used responsibly”, adds Marr.

For Marr, focusing specifically on the HR function, “this agreement underscores the need to be vigilant about the AI tools and technologies they adopt”, and it makes it clear that there could be “stricter guidelines and standards for AI in HR tech” incoming.

HR tech giant Workday’s VP of Public Policy Chandler Morse notes that the MOU is a positive step towards achieving “international alignment on key standards and AI governance approaches [which] is vital to achieving our collective goal of building trust”.

Intranet platform Unily CTO Sam Hassani agrees – “HR should be aware that the MOU signifies a growing recognition of the importance of AI safety and ethics”.

Plus, it is highly “likely [to] influence the development and implementation of HR technologies leveraging AI. HR professionals should anticipate greater scrutiny and possibly more stringent regulations around the use of AI in…HR functions”, continues Hassani.

“Ultimately, this MOU is a call to action for HR leaders to lead with responsibility and foresight in their AI strategies, ensuring their use of AI in the workplace enhances the employee experience in a fair, transparent and ethical manner”, concludes Marr.

HR, act now on AI safety, don’t wait for regulation

However, not all the experts UNLEASH spoke to were in agreement.

In particular, Khyati Sundaram, CEO of Applied, an ethical AI hiring platform, disagrees, and argues that this joint partnership “will have very little immediate impact on how the tech is used in HR”.

“Under the MOU, the UK and the US have committed to perform one joint test on a publicly accessible AI model” – at this point, “there is no guarantee that this partnership will go beyond” that exercise, plus “far more extensive assessments would be needed before both governments introduce legislation in response”.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that HR should rest of its laurels and wait for legislation before they take action on introducing AI.

Gartner’s Distinguished VP Analyst Helen Poitevin calls on HR to really collaborate with IT, legal and risks to drive success here.

“Instead of waiting for these regulations, HR can be key to identifying the opportunities AI presents to stay ahead in the changing landscape”, shares AI learning platform Cassette’s chief strategy officer Michael Wyrley-Birch – HR’s role is to be a bridge between employees and the business so that “organizations can thrive in the AI-driven future”.

Speaking to UNLEASH, Guru Sethupathy, CEO and Co-Founder of AI governance software FairNow, concludes that “while there is nothing specific about HR in this MOU”, “this evolving regulatory landscape present an opportunity for HR to redefine its role”.

It’s time to turn “uncertainty into action by proactively shaping the future of workplace technology compliance”, states Sethupathy.