The UK Government is intensifying its focus on the risks posed by AI, with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper expected to warn that the technology represents the biggest security challenge of the decade as ministers separately review safety rules for AI-enabled toys.

Cooper is set to call for urgent international action to prevent AI from being used to destabilise democracies, automate cyber-attacks and assist in the development of biological or chemical weapons.

Her intervention comes as, separately, the Government launches a Call for Evidence examining whether the UK’s existing toy safety framework can adequately address emerging technologies, including products that incorporate AI.

Cooper is expected to argue that the international community has a rapidly closing window in which to establish effective safeguards around the development and deployment of advanced AI systems.

The foreign secretary will reportedly characterise AI as the single greatest security challenge of the current decade, focusing on the potential for the technology to be weaponised by authoritarian governments and non-state actors.

Among the threats expected to be addressed are AI-driven cyber warfare, automated propaganda campaigns and the possibility that advanced models could help users create biological or chemical weapons.

AI-generated disinformation and increasingly realistic deepfakes are also expected to form a central part of the warning, amid concerns that fabricated content could be used to influence elections, target sensitive social groups and undermine trust in democratic institutions.

The growing use of autonomous systems could also make it more difficult for intelligence agencies to identify the source of digital attacks.

Cooper is expected to call for a new form of digital diplomacy in which allies share information about emerging AI threats in much the same way that they cooperate on traditional military and national security matters.

The UK hosted the first AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in 2023 and is now seeking to strengthen its international role in discussions around the safe development of the technology.

Cooper will argue that voluntary commitments from technology companies are no longer sufficient and that binding international guardrails will be needed to prevent an unchecked digital arms race.

The foreign secretary is also expected to propose a model of dynamic regulation capable of adapting as the capabilities of AI systems develop. Measures could include more rigorous testing of large language models before they are released publicly and greater transparency around algorithms used within critical infrastructure.

“We do not have the luxury of waiting for the next crisis to act. The security of the next decade is being written today in the code of AI laboratories,” the draft of her speech states.

The European Union is strengthening its approach through the AI Act, while the US continues to debate the level of oversight required as it competes with China for technological leadership.

AI Risks Reach Consumer Products

While Cooper’s warning focuses on international security, the Government is also considering how the emergence of AI-enabled products could affect children and families.

The Department for Business and Trade and the Office for Product Safety and Standards launched a Call for Evidence on 6 July to determine whether the UK’s toy safety rules remain suitable as new technologies emerge and more purchases move online.

The consultation will examine a range of issues, including chemical safety and potential risks associated with AI-enabled toys.

Kate Dearden, Minister for Consumer Protection, said: “Every parent should be able to buy toys for their children with complete confidence that they are safe.

“But the way we shop, and the toys children play with, are changing rapidly as new technologies emerge and more purchases move online. It’s vital that our safety rules keep pace, and this Call for Evidence will ensure we can do that.”

The Call for Evidence will remain open until 6 October, with the Government inviting responses from parents, businesses, consumer organisations, enforcement authorities and members of the wider public.

Ministers said robust product safety rules were needed to ensure toys were tested against modern standards, while giving responsible businesses greater clarity and confidence to grow.

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The review forms part of wider government action intended to strengthen consumer protections and reduce the number of unsafe products reaching UK customers.

In March, the Government launched what it described as a once-in-a-generation reform programme for the UK product safety framework. The programme includes measures intended to address unsafe goods sold through online marketplaces.

The Government has also introduced protections targeting fake reviews and drip pricing, while taking action against subscription traps. A broader consumer action plan is due to be published later this year.

Ministers said consumer spending accounts for more than 60% of the UK economy, arguing that stronger trust in the safety of products can give people greater confidence to spend while supporting business growth and higher living standards.

The toy safety consultation provides an early example of how AI regulation may need to extend beyond the developers of advanced models and into the physical products that increasingly use them.

From international security agreements and testing requirements for large language models to safeguards governing connected toys, the Government’s latest interventions demonstrate the growing pressure on regulators to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology.