U.K. outlines AI sandbox plan as regulators weigh compliance risks
By 
Neil Hodge2025-11-14T22:59:00
The U.K. has set out a new blueprint for AI regulation, which aims to slash bureaucracy and ramp up the safe adoption of new and emerging technology to unlock potential and boost investment.
Under the plans announced on Oct. 21, the U.K. will look at using a “regulatory sandbox”—called the AI Growth Lab—so that companies can test new AI products in real-world conditions but with some rules and regulations temporarily relaxed under “strict supervision.”
According to the government, the initiative would support responsible AI innovation “by making targeted regulatory modifications under robust safeguards and with careful monitoring”. In a recent “call for evidence”, 60 percent of businesses that responded said regulation was a barrier to AI adoption. Currently, only 21percent of U.K. businesses use the technology.
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