British Minister Cooper warns of unchecked AI and calls for international rules

Cooper draws a direct historical comparison in the article: on the issue of nuclear weapons, an international agreement was only reached after the world was confronted with the terrifying power of the new technology in Hiroshima and the question was raised of what would happen if it fell into the wrong hands. She argues that the world cannot afford to wait for a catastrophe before acting.

Speaking to the Guardian, Cooper said: „Hier schlummert ein unglaubliches Potenzial, aber auch ein enormes Risiko.“ She pointed out that people worldwide are gradually arriving at the same insight. In her assessment, AI will become one of the dominant topics of foreign policy in the coming years.

Parallels to climate and hybrid threats

The minister also sees parallels between the risks of artificial intelligence and other global crises. In the essay she explicitly named the climate crisis, irregular migration, and foreign manipulation campaigns against liberal democracies as challenges requiring joint international responses. Hybrid threats beyond classical battlefields have also increased dramatically.

In the guest contribution, the first dropping of atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of the Second World War is identified as the historical turning point at which the community of states finally agreed on regulations for a new, dangerous technology. Cooper writes on this: „Wir können es nicht leisten, auf eine KI-Version von Hiroshima zu warten, bevor wir handeln.“ With this, she justifies her demand for swift multilateral action.

Appeal to the USA and China

Cooper also formulated a clear expectation of the major powers. Influential states such as the United States and China bear a particular responsibility to effectively limit the virtually unlimited applications of artificial intelligence before it is too late. She appeals to these countries to take a leading role in developing international standards.

The Chatham House contribution expresses the concern that, without binding agreements, actors with the most varied motives — from extremists to state institutions — could use increasingly powerful AI models to destabilize societies or prepare violence. The minister sees in this scenario a risk that threatens the security of individual states as well as the stability of the international system.

International context

The Chatham House contribution joins a growing number of international voices pointing to an urgent need for regulation of artificial intelligence. With the reference to 1945, Cooper attempts to underline the urgency of political action: international order frequently emerges only when the consequences of a new technology become immediately visible — but the world cannot afford to wait for such an event in the case of AI.

British media had published excerpts from the essay prior to its official release. The full text was scheduled to appear shortly, according to Chatham House. With the guest contribution, the British government is expanding its claim to help shape the debate on AI regulation internationally and to win allies for common standards.

Under the impression of recent developments in generative AI models, several governments and international organizations had previously announced initiatives for minimum standards. Cooper makes clear with her contribution that, from the British perspective, rules for the security-relevant use of AI should be the primary focus.