UK spy agencies seek AI data law changes

British intelligence services have asked lawmakers to change surveillance rules so they can use personal data to train artificial intelligence systems. The agencies say current safeguards and legal limits prevent them from applying modern AI tools to very large datasets, which they argue reduces their ability to detect threats and process communications quickly. They are proposing legal adjustments to allow broader automated analysis while keeping some privacy protections in place.

Privacy advocates and legal experts warn the proposals would weaken civil liberties and could let agencies collect and reuse sensitive personal information without adequate oversight. Critics argue that stronger, not looser, rules are needed to govern how datasets are obtained, labelled and shared, and to require independent audits of AI systems. Parliamentarians must weigh expanding surveillance powers for speed and efficiency against insisting on tighter safeguards and transparency.