UK to establish National Centre for Information Defence against disinformation

UK: The United Kingdom is a sovereign parliamentary democracy in Europe. Under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, the government is establishing a National Centre for Information Defence to detect and disrupt AI-enabled disinformation from hostile states while positioning the country as an honest broker on global technology policy. The UK also maintains close ties with the US and EU to advance international cooperation on AI risks and benefits. Andy Burnham: Andy Burnham serves as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, having taken office in July. In his address to the United Nations General Assembly, he announced plans for a new information defence centre and called for global AI safety standards, highlighting the need for transparency and human oversight in frontier AI development. Burnham has emphasized international collaboration to address disinformation and harness AI for economic growth. Sergei Lavrov: Sergei Lavrov is the Foreign Minister of Russia. He addressed a forum in Moscow and accused Western media of embracing anti-Russian cliches in response to the UK's UN speech on disinformation. His remarks came as Russia was represented at the UN General Assembly during Burnham's address. UK AI Security Institute: The UK AI Security Institute is a government body tasked with testing major AI models to improve their safety prior to public release. Established under the previous Conservative government, it supports voluntary collaboration with developers on transparency and model evaluation. The institute underpins the UK's efforts to lead global AI safety initiatives and standards. AI Governance Push: The UK plans to place AI at the center of its G20 Presidency and work toward global principles on transparency, access, and safe development, building on initiatives like a recent proposal from Norway. US-UK AI Partnership: The UK and US have announced a new partnership focused on using AI to protect critical national infrastructure. Disinformation Response: The UK is creating a National Centre for Information Defence to work with intelligence agencies, law enforcement, and social media platforms against AI-enabled campaigns by hostile states.