Labour leader Keir Starmer delivered a speech at the London Tech Week conference on Tuesday in which he cautioned that the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) may “worsen inequality” and ultimately leave some communities across the UK poorer.

Starmer’s speech followed one delivered by Rishi Sunak at the conference on Monday, in which the Conservative prime minister told attendees “we [the UK] must act – and act quickly – if we want not only to retain our position as one of the world’s tech capitals.”

Starmer agreed that the UK should push to gain a ‘world-leading’ edge in the AI space, and pointed out that the UK had an opportunity to lead the world in new technologies, but to do so it would require partnerships with business for the "public good".

The Labour leader went on to question whether Sunak’s government was doing enough to solidify the UK's position as a world leader in AI.

Speaking of the potential for AI to worsen inequality if deployed insensibly, the former human rights lawyer Starmer said the UK was facing a choice over the benefits of what such a large tech disruption can bring.

"Will it be those who already hold wealth and power, or will it be the starter firms trying to break in and disrupt the industry, the patients trying to book an appointment with their GP, the worker using technology to enhance and improve their role?” he said. "Can [AI] help build a society where everyone is included, and inequalities are narrowed not widened?”

Secretary general of the United Nations Antonio Guterres recently said that he supports the idea of an international artificial intelligence (AI) watchdog to thwart bad actors use of the tech.

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