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AI in the UK

How far the UK has come on AI, and how complete its AI rulebook is: two scores, six lenses, every law linked to its official text.
43.7% of people aged 15–64 used a generative AI product in Q2 2026, up from 36.4% in H1 2025; #8 of the 147 economies Microsoft tracks. Its strongest lens is Investment (#3 of 40) and its weakest Adoption (#14). On AI law, there is no AI law or bill; existing regulators apply privacy, consumer and sector rules to ai.
Follow United KingdomAI law in the UK
#7 of 40 on Progress54/100 Rulebook6 verified laws and rulesChecked 21 Oct 2026
In the Record’s memory12 dated events since January 2023, by month and kind. Darker means busier; choose a square to see those events.
See all 12 in the ledger →
Laws and rules12

United Kingdom through six lenses

How the scores work →
The same six lenses, in the same order, on every country page. Each shows its lead number, the rank among the countries the source covers, and every indicator behind the lens score. 15 of 17 indicators measure the UK.
01Adoption#14 of 40
How widely are people and firms using AI?
43.7%
share of people aged 15–64 who used generative AI, Q2 2026
H1 2025Q2 2026
Lens score49
03Research#5 of 40
Does it build AI and its science?
84
notable AI models, 2003–2025
Lens score54
05Infrastructure#10 of 40
Does it have the machines?
7,972
H100-equivalents of known AI supercomputer capacity in operation, Oct 2026
Lens score40

AI law in the UK

How to check a law →

The UK has no AI-specific statute; existing regulators apply five non-statutory principles, and no frontier AI bill had been introduced by October 2026.

Existing regulators, no AI statuteNo AI law or bill; existing regulators apply privacy, consumer and sector rules to AI.
  1. Adopted, not yet in forceLaw · bindingAdopted 29 Apr 2026

    Crime and Policing Act 2026, sections 72-76: CSA image-generator offences

    Creates offences of making, adapting, possessing or supplying tools (including fine-tuned AI models) built to create child sexual abuse images (new s.46A SOA 2003); prospective, awaiting commencement regulations.

    Official text Independent check Confidence: medium
  2. In forceLaw · bindingAdopted 19 Jun 2025 · In force from 5 Feb 2026

    Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, section 80: automated decision-making (UK GDPR Articles 22A-22D)

    Replaces the general ban on solely automated significant decisions with a safeguards regime (information, representations, human intervention, right to contest); stricter for special category data.

    Penalty UK GDPR fines: up to GBP 17.5m or 4% of global turnover
    Official text Independent check Confidence: medium
  3. VoluntaryStrategy · not bindingAdopted Jan 2025

    AI Opportunities Action Plan

    50 actions on compute, AI Growth Zones, skills and public-sector adoption; the January 2026 one-year report says 38 of 50 commitments met.

    Official text Independent check Confidence: high
  4. VoluntaryGuidance · not bindingAdopted 6 Feb 2024

    A pro-innovation approach to AI regulation (white paper, March 2023) and government response (February 2024)

    Five cross-sector principles (safety, transparency, fairness, accountability, contestability) applied by existing regulators; no new AI law; central coordination function.

    Official text Independent check Confidence: high
  5. In forceLaw · bindingAdopted 26 Oct 2023 · In force from 31 Jan 2024

    Intimate image offences: sharing (Online Safety Act 2023 s.188, SOA 2003 ss.66B-66D) and creating or requesting purported intimate images (Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 s.138, SOA 2003 ss.66E-66H)

    Sharing an intimate image, including a deepfake, without consent is an offence from 31 Jan 2024; creating or requesting a sexually explicit deepfake of an adult without consent is an offence from 6 Feb 2026.

    Penalty Sharing: up to 6 months (base offence), up to 2 years on indictment where intent to cause distress or for sexual gratification
    Official text Independent check Confidence: medium

The Rulebook score, line by line

What each line means →
54 of 100. Each line names the law or body that earns its points.
  1. Binding AI rulesNo AI-specific law, bill or official draft0/35
  2. A national AI strategy, adopted or updated since 2022AI Opportunities Action Plan8/8
  3. A body named to oversee or enforce AI rulesNone found0/6
  4. An AI safety or evaluation instituteSee Institutions6/6
  5. A right to challenge automated decisions, in forceData (Use and Access) Act 2025, section 80: automated decision-making (UK…12/12
  6. Rules on AI-generated content: labels or deepfake offences, in forceOnline Safety Act 2023 s.188, SOA 2003 ss.66B-66D13/13
  7. International AI governance initiatives endorsed (of 8)7 of 8. Source: AI governance initiatives by country10.5/12
  8. Council of Europe AI Convention: signed 5, ratified 8Signed5/8

The record

What gets an entry →
Every dated step: laws adopted and coming into force, and each reading of AI use. Newest first; future dates are marked.
  1. 30 Jun 2026AdoptionAI user share reached 43.7%, from 42.2% in Q1 2026Share of people aged 15–64 who used a generative AI product, Q2 2026.Independent estimateSource →
  2. 29 Apr 2026LawsCrime and Policing Act 2026, sections 72-76: CSA image-generator offences adoptedCreates offences of making, adapting, possessing or supplying tools (including fine-tuned AI models) built to create child sexual abuse images (new s.46A SOA 2003); prospective, awaiting commencement regulations.Official sourceSource →
  3. 31 Mar 2026AdoptionAI user share reached 42.2%, from 38.9% in H2 2025Share of people aged 15–64 who used a generative AI product, Q1 2026.Independent estimateSource →
  4. 18 Mar 2026LawsReport on Copyright and Artificial Intelligence (outcome of the 2024-25… adoptedDrops the preferred text-and-data-mining exception with opt-out; no change to copyright law for now; further evidence-gathering, licensing-led approach. Required by s.136 DUAA 2025.Official sourceSource →
  5. 5 Feb 2026LawsData (Use and Access) Act 2025, section 80: automated decision-making (UK… came into forceOfficial sourceSource →
  6. 31 Dec 2025AdoptionAI user share reached 38.9%, from 36.4% in H1 2025Share of people aged 15–64 who used a generative AI product, H2 2025.Independent estimateSource →
  7. 19 Jun 2025LawsData (Use and Access) Act 2025, section 80: automated decision-making (UK… adoptedReplaces the general ban on solely automated significant decisions with a safeguards regime (information, representations, human intervention, right to contest); stricter for special category data.Official sourceSource →
  8. Jan 2025LawsAI Opportunities Action Plan adopted50 actions on compute, AI Growth Zones, skills and public-sector adoption; the January 2026 one-year report says 38 of 50 commitments met.Official sourceSource →
  9. 6 Feb 2024LawsA pro-innovation approach to AI regulation (white paper, March 2023) and… adoptedFive cross-sector principles (safety, transparency, fairness, accountability, contestability) applied by existing regulators; no new AI law; central coordination function.Official sourceSource →
  10. 31 Jan 2024LawsOnline Safety Act 2023 s.188, SOA 2003 ss.66B-66D came into forceOfficial sourceSource →
  11. 26 Oct 2023LawsOnline Safety Act 2023 s.188, SOA 2003 ss.66B-66D adoptedSharing an intimate image, including a deepfake, without consent is an offence from 31 Jan 2024; creating or requesting a sexually explicit deepfake of an adult without consent is an offence from 6 Feb 2026.Official sourceSource →

How people in the UK see AI

Public opinion on AI →
Survey results, not scored. They show the mood that new AI rules land in.
43%say AI products have more benefits than drawbacks, 2025+5 points since 2022Ipsos, 2022–25 →39%trust their government to regulate AI responsibly2025Ipsos →48%of employees say they trust AI at work48% use itUniversity of Melbourne and KPMG International →

United Kingdom beside its peers

All 40 countries →
The two Progress leaders and the countries nearest to the UK in its region. A dash means no source measures that lens for the country.
MeasureUnited KingdomUnited StatesChinaGermanyFranceSwitzerland
Progressfive lenses, 0–10050#777#174#254#345#940#12
Adoptionlens score495656394348
Talentlens score4152—573554
Researchlens score548983535131
Investmentlens score6410074575834
Infrastructurelens score408883644136
Rulebook0–100547484949432
AI user shareQ2 2026 · Microsoft43.7%33.0%17.5%32.3%49.6%39.1%
Approach to AI lawExisting regulators, no AI statuteState laws, no federal AI statuteBinding rules by use caseEU AI Act, plus national lawEU AI Act, plus national lawExisting regulators, no AI statute

More of Europe

Every country →
European Union—Progress97RulebookComprehensive risk-based lawOpen tracker →Ireland23Progress86RulebookEU AI Act, plus national lawOpen tracker →Norway21Progress42RulebookAI bill in progressOpen tracker →Sweden33Progress82RulebookEU AI Act, plus national lawOpen tracker →Finland29Progress80RulebookEU AI Act, plus national lawOpen tracker →Denmark24Progress82RulebookEU AI Act, plus national lawOpen tracker →Netherlands33Progress85RulebookEU AI Act, plus national lawOpen tracker →Belgium18Progress79RulebookEU AI Act, plus national lawOpen tracker →Germany54Progress94RulebookEU AI Act, plus national lawOpen tracker →Poland27Progress76RulebookEU AI Act, plus national lawOpen tracker →France45Progress94RulebookEU AI Act, plus national lawOpen tracker →Switzerland40Progress32RulebookExisting regulators, no AI statuteOpen tracker →Italy27Progress91RulebookEU AI Act, plus national lawOpen tracker →Spain33Progress88RulebookEU AI Act, plus national lawOpen tracker →

Check AI-law news yourself

All our data sources →
Every law on these pages links to its official text and to an independent check. These are the registers and trackers we use, with what each is good for. A headline about a new AI law is real when the official register shows it.
Official registers8
Law and policy trackers4
  • OECD.AI Policy Navigator (formerly National AI Policies & Strategies database; GAIIN)OECDNational AI policy initiatives (strategies, governance bodies, funding, regulation) by jurisdictionUse it for Use as primary verification source for 'national AI strategy exists / date' and governance bodies; link each country page to its OECD.AI country profile
  • IAPP Global AI Law and Policy TrackerIAPP (International Association of Privacy Professionals)AI laws, policies, national strategies and responsible authorities per jurisdictionUse it for Cite as a secondary legal cross-check; link out; do not reproduce
  • Council of Europe Framework Convention (CETS 225) treaty chartCouncil of Europe Treaty Office · Live chart (see coe_convention block)Signature and ratification status of the first binding international AI treatyUse it for Primary source for a 'CoE AI Convention: signed / ratified' field per country
  • Digital Policy AlertDigital Policy Alert (St.Gallen Endowment for Prosperity through Trade) · ContinuousEvent-level tracker of digital policy changes incl. AI rules, by jurisdictionUse it for Use as verification source for law-stage changes; model aiadoption.org's country timeline on its event structure
Country indices11
  • Stanford HAI AI Index Report + Global AI Vibrancy ToolStanford Institute for Human-Centered AIAnnual state-of-AI report; Vibrancy Tool ranks national AI ecosystems (R&D, economy, policy, talent, infrastructure, public opinion, etc.)Use it for Reuse individual underlying indicators (with attribution) rather than the composite; link to Vibrancy Tool for each covered country
  • Tortoise Global AI IndexTortoise MediaNational AI capacity: investment, innovation, implementationUse it for Link out and quote rank with attribution only; do not reuse scores
  • Oxford Insights Government AI Readiness Index 2025Oxford InsightsWhether governments can harness AI for the public goodUse it for Cite as a verification source for governance/policy-capacity; reuse rank with attribution for countries lacking other data
  • Microsoft Global AI Diffusion Report (AI user share)Microsoft (AI Economy Institute / On the Issues)AI user share: % of working-age population (15-64) using generative AI products in the periodUse it for Reuse the per-country AI user share as the core 'adoption' metric with attribution and vintage label; flag method breaks
  • IMF AI Preparedness Index (AIPI)International Monetary Fund · June 2024 (released 25 June 2024); no later update foundMacro-structural readiness to adopt AIUse it for Use as background 'structural readiness' component only; label vintage 2024
  • Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI)Global Center on AI GovernanceGovernment commitments and implementation evidence for responsible AIUse it for Cite as verification source for responsible-AI governance; adopt its framework-vs-implementation distinction in aiadoption.org's law status pills
  • AI Safety / Security Institutes network (NAAIMES)Member governments; UK AI Security Institute as coordinatorMembership of the international network of AI safety/evaluation institutesUse it for Field 'has national AI evaluation institute (year)' per country; see safety_institutes block
  • Carnegie Endowment (AI governance research, e.g. China AI safety institute work)Carnegie Endowment for International Peace · Ongoing researchQualitative country analysis of AI governanceUse it for Cite for country narrative paragraphs
  • Brookings: How are countries evaluating AI models?Brookings Institution · Article (date not confirmed)Comparative analysis of national AI evaluation institutesUse it for Cite in safety-institute methodology notes
  • Anthropic Economic Index - geographic report (Anthropic AI Usage Index)AnthropicClaude usage per capita relative to working-age population by country (AUI), plus task mixUse it for Use as secondary adoption metric beside Microsoft; triangulate, never sole sourceLink not yet opened by us
  • Epoch AI dataEpoch AI · ContinuousNotable models, training compute, GPU clusters/data centres by countryUse it for Reuse 'notable models by country' and 'AI supercomputers by country' with attributionLink not yet opened by us
Research and safety4
  • CSET (Center for Security and Emerging Technology)Georgetown University · OngoingData-driven research on AI talent, investment, compute, policy (incl. ETO tools such as AGORA AI governance document set)Use it for Cite AGORA for law-text links; reuse open datasets with attributionLink not yet opened by us
  • International AI Safety ReportExpert panel chaired by Yoshua Bengio, UK-backed secretariat · 2026 edition expected/early 2026 (not verified)Scientific synthesis of general-purpose AI capabilities and risksUse it for Cite in methodology for why safety institutes/evaluation capacity are scored; list which countries sit on the panelLink not yet opened by us
  • Our World in Data - Artificial IntelligenceOur World in Data (Global Change Data Lab) · ContinuousCharts republishing AI data (investment, models, patents, public opinion) by countryUse it for Model chart UX on OWID; reuse CC BY datasets with attributionLink not yet opened by us
  • Artificial AnalysisArtificial Analysis · ContinuousModel benchmarks, price and speed; includes model origin by countryUse it for Use for 'frontier models produced by country' cross-check; citeLink not yet opened by us

How the scores work

Two scores, never added together. Download every score and indicator (CSV).

Progress, 0–100

  1. Five lenses, same for everyone. Adoption, Talent, Research, Investment and Infrastructure. Each lens is the average of its indicators; Progress is the average of the lenses.
  2. Only published numbers. Each indicator is a chart on AI Adoption with its source and CSV, or a public dataset linked on the page (Microsoft AI Diffusion, Epoch AI GPU Clusters).
  3. Scaled so outliers do not swamp the rest. Money, models and compute use a log scale on which the leader scores 100; shares and rates use the range of countries the source covers.
  4. Gaps stay gaps. A source that does not cover a country leaves a dash, never a guess. A country below a source's top-15 list scores 0 on that indicator, and the page says so. The coverage flag shows how many of the 17 indicators measure the country.

Rulebook, 0–100

How complete and binding a country's AI rules are. It does not grade whether the rules are good, strict or lenient. Points come only from laws we have verified against an official source.

Binding AI rulesup to 35
  • An AI law with enforceable duties on companies applies now35
  • Enforceable rules on AI systems apply, but only in part of the country26
  • An AI law with enforceable duties is enacted; its duties start later26
  • A national AI law is in force, but it sets no penalties for companies20
  • An AI bill or official draft is before the legislature or out for consultation10
  • No AI-specific law, bill or official draft0
Institutions, safeguards, international65
  • A national AI strategy, adopted or updated since 20228
  • A body named to oversee or enforce AI rules6
  • An AI safety or evaluation institute6
  • A right to challenge automated decisions, in force12
  • Rules on AI-generated content: labels or deepfake offences, in force13
  • International AI governance initiatives endorsed (of 8)12
  • Council of Europe AI Convention: signed 5, ratified 88
Disclosure: AI Adoption uses AI tools in its research and editorial work. No government, company or lobby group has any say in a country's scores or its law register, and the same rules apply to every country. Editorial standards · Data sources · Corrections
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