Skip to main content
Tech Radar Pro
Tech Radar Gaming
Tech Radar Pro
TechRadar the business technology experts
Search TechRadar
View Profile
België (Nederlands)
Deutschland
North America
US (English)
Australasia
New Zealand
Expert Insights
Website builders
Web hosting
Amazon Prime Day deals
Best web hosting
Best office chairs
Best website builder
Best antivirus
Expert Insights
Recommended reading
Mitigating AI-related risks: soft approach, hard approach or something in the middle?
Why AI should worry every business
“Things are getting a little bit scary” - Workday’s take on responsible AI
AI and the Future of Law Enforcement: the risks of perfectly enforcing imperfect laws
Encouraging AI uptake: people first, tech second
Is the window for generative AI adoption closing for companies?
“It is up to you to figure out how to use it to make the best version of yourself" - Zendesk Chief Legal Officer on how any company can get involved with shaping the AI industry
Why the AI boom requires an Wyatt Earp
Jamie Dobson
10 July 2025
Why regulation of AI is needed
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future/NPowell)
At a time when many believe that oversight of the Artificial Intelligence industry is desperately needed, the US government appears to have different ideas. The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA)—recently given the nod by the House of Representatives—includes a 10-year moratorium on state and local governments enacting or enforcing regulations on AI models, systems, or automated decision-making tools.
Supporters claim the goal is to streamline AI regulation by establishing federal oversight, thereby preventing a patchwork of state laws that could stifle innovation and create compliance chaos. Critics warn that the moratorium could leave consumers vulnerable to emerging AI-related issues, such as algorithmic bias, privacy violations, and the spread of deepfakes.
Basically, if the AI sector is the Wild West, no one will be allowed to clean up Dodge.
You may like
Mitigating AI-related risks: soft approach, hard approach or something in the middle?
Why AI should worry every business
“Things are getting a little bit scary” - Workday’s take on responsible AI
Jamie Dobson
Social Links Navigation
Founder of Container Solutions.
Why should we care?
History may not literally repeat itself, but there are historical patterns and trends that we can view and hopefully be informed by, and our history books are packed with examples of technology reshaping the lives of the workforce.
And be it in the form of James Watt’s steam engine or Henry Ford’s moving assembly line, the cost of the progress brought by fresh technology is regularly paid by the large numbers of people sent home without a pay packet.
And AI will cost jobs too.
Experts such as those at McKinsey, the Lancet, or the World Economic Forum (WEF) may not agree on exact numbers or percentages of lost jobs, but the consistent message is that it will be bad:
30% of US work hours across all sectors will be automated by 2030 says McKinsey
25% of medical administrative tasks could vanish by 2035 according to a Lancet study
39% of existing skill sets will become outdated between now and 2030 warns WEF
Of course, as with all new technologies, new jobs will be created. But we can’t all be prompt engineers.
The Great Brain Robbery
Essentially, those hit hardest by the bulk of new technologies from the Spinning Jenny onwards were the ones engaged to carry out physical work. But AI wants to muscle in on the intellectual and creative domains previously considered uniquely human. For example, nonpartisan American think tank the Pew Research Center reckons 30% of media jobs could be automated by 2035.
And those creative jobs are under threat because creatives are being ripped off.
Many AI models are trained on massive datasets scraped from the internet, and these often include articles, books, images, music and even code that are protected by copyright laws, but AI companies lean heavily towards take-first-ask-later. Obviously, artists, writers, and other content creators see this practice as unauthorized use of their intellectual property and they argue that ultimately, it’s not even in the best interests of the AI sector.
If AI takes work away from human creatives—devastating creative industries already operating on thin margins—there will be less and less innovative content to feed to AI systems which will result in AI feeding off homogenized AI content – a derivative digital snake eating its own tail.
A smarter way forward would be to find a framework where creatives are compensated for use of their work to ensure the sustainability of human produced product. The music industry already has a model where artists receive payments via performing rights organizations such as PRS, GEMA and BMI. The AI sector needs to find something similar.
To make this happen, regulators may need to be involved.
Competitive opportunity versus minimizing societal harm
Without regulation, we risk undermining the economic foundations of creative and knowledge-based industries. Journalism, photography, literature, music, and visual arts depend on compensation mechanisms that AI training currently bypasses.
The United Kingdom and the European Union are taking notably different paths when it comes to regulating AI. The EU is pursuing a strict, binding regulatory framework, an approach designed to protect fundamental rights, promote safety, and ensure ethical use of AI across member states. In contrast, the UK is currently opting for a more flexible approach, emphasizing innovation and light-touch oversight aiming to encourage rapid AI development and attracting investment.
But this light-touch strategy could be a massive misstep – one that in the long term could leave everyone wishing we’d thought things through.
While AI enthusiasts may initially be pleased with minimal interference from regulators, eventually AI businesses will come up against consumer trust, something they absolutely need.
While AI businesses operating in Europe will be looking at higher compliance costs, there is also a clearer regulatory landscape and therefore more likely to be greater consumer trust – a huge commercial advantage.
Meanwhile, AI businesses operating in light-touch markets (such as the UK) need to consider how their AI data practices align with their (and their competitors’) brand values and customer expectations. As public awareness grows, companies seen as exploiting creators may face reputational damage. And a lack of consumer confidence could lead to a shift in mindset from previously arm’s-length regulators.
Regardless of the initial regulatory environment, early adopters of ethical AI practices may gain competitive advantages as regulatory requirements catch up to ethical standards. Perhaps the wisest way forward is to voluntarily make Dodge City a better place, even if there’s no sheriff in town – for now.
I tried 70+ best AI tools.
This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro
Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
Jamie Dobson
Social Links Navigation
Founder of Container Solutions.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
Mitigating AI-related risks: soft approach, hard approach or something in the middle?
Why AI should worry every business
“Things are getting a little bit scary” - Workday’s take on responsible AI
AI and the Future of Law Enforcement: the risks of perfectly enforcing imperfect laws
Encouraging AI uptake: people first, tech second
Is the window for generative AI adoption closing for companies?
Latest in Pro
The four-phase security approach to keep in mind for your AI transformation
9 home office gadget best seller deals from only $1.49 on Amazon — just for Prime Day, save an extra 40% off everything
Thanks Hostinger - launching a website with AI just got a whole lot cheaper
Samsung 2TB 990 Evo Plus SSD is at its lowest price ever for Prime Day - Sleeper SSD hits rivals 990 Pro and costs only $114 after a 36% discount
Price of Samsung 9100 Pro 4TB SSD hits all-time low for Prime Day - shock 30% discount brings it to $385
Seagate's huge 24TB external hard drive hits all-time low on Amazon Prime Day - Expansion Desktop HDD on sale for $260 or 21% off
Latest in Opinion
The four-phase security approach to keep in mind for your AI transformation
RAG is dead: why enterprises are shifting to agent-based AI architectures
Is a Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) better than a VPN?
Encouraging AI uptake: people first, tech second
UCaaS: the driver of the digital workforce
AI-generated or just poorly edited? Kylian Mbappé’s latest Instagram post rams home how hard it is to know what's real these days
LATEST ARTICLES
Too Much review: Lena Dunham’s new Netflix show is nothing like Girls
Some Prime Day deals are better than they look, I picked through 6 deals to find deeper savings on great tech
I think these Amazon Prime Day Apple deals could convert even die-hard Android and Windows fans
The Sony Bravia 8 II is one of the best TVs I’ve tested this year, and it’s hit a record-low price for Prime Day
I don't travel without this combo iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods charger, and it's 33% off for Prime Day
TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
Contact Future's experts
Terms and conditions
Privacy policy
Cookies policy
Advertise with us
Web notifications
Accessibility Statement
Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street,
Please login or signup to comment
Please wait...
Related News
07 Jun, 2025
Everything you need to know about Barry . . .
12 May, 2025
Door open for overseas Wallabies to take . . .
11 Jul, 2025
Barking up wrong tree? Indonesian police . . .
11 Jul, 2025
Прогноз погоды на 11 июля
21 Apr, 2025
920 Saskatoon Road #119, Kelowna
07 May, 2025
Trump names Andrew Giuliani, son of form . . .
22 May, 2025
Phillies vs. Rockies Highlights | MLB on . . .
16 Apr, 2025
"Championship-caliber team" - Nico Harri . . .