UK Foreign Secretary Warns of 'AI Hiroshima' if Policymakers Don’t Act
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that governments could repeat early nuclear-age mistakes if they delay laws for artificial intelligence. She said AI brings major benefits, including in healthcare, but also raises growing risks for warfare, crime, cybersecurity, and social stability as systems become more powerful and accessible. Cooper argued that AI safety may become the next decade’s biggest security challenge and urged international agreements on frontier AI before a crisis forces action. She compared the situation to the nuclear arms race, saying global safeguards came only after Hiroshima and that the world should not wait for an “AI equivalent” before acting. She called on Britain to help convene the U.S., China, and other major AI powers around shared safety standards, citing the 2023 Bletchley Park summit as a model. The warning comes amid rising concern from governments, global institutions, and AI firms about model-driven cyber risk and national security threats.
