Countries / United Kingdom

United Kingdom

No AI bill (none in the May 2026 King's Speech); AI is governed by existing regulators plus targeted criminal laws on intimate deepfakes and nudification tools and reformed automated-decision rules under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.

Sector regulators and guidelinesApproach
7Rules tracked
4Binding and in force
0Upcoming deadlines

In force (6)

  • AI Opportunities Action Plan
    StrategyDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)Non-binding

    Government plan (with 50 recommendations accepted) to expand compute, data access, AI adoption in the public sector and regulator-led sandboxes, within the UK's non-statutory, regulator-by-regulator approach to AI. A one-year-on progress report was published in January 2026.

    In forceEffective 13 Jan 2025
  • DUAA automated decision-making reforms
    LawUK ParliamentBinding

    Replaces UK GDPR Article 22 with new Articles 22A-22D: solely automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects are broadly permitted on any lawful basis if safeguards apply (information, ability to contest, human intervention), while stricter limits remain for special-category data. Applies to all controllers using automated decision-making, including AI.

    In forceEffective 5 Feb 2026
  • Deepfake intimate image creation offence
    LawUK ParliamentBinding

    Inserts sections 66E-66H into the Sexual Offences Act 2003, making it an offence in England and Wales to create, or ask someone to create, a purported (including AI-generated) intimate image of an adult without consent or reasonable belief in consent. Applies to individuals.

    In forceEffective 6 Feb 2026
  • OSA intimate image (incl. deepfake) sharing offences
    LawUK ParliamentBinding

    Makes it an offence to share, or threaten to share, a photograph or film that 'shows, or appears to show' another person in an intimate state without consent, which captures AI-generated deepfakes. Platforms in scope of the Online Safety Act must treat such content as illegal content under Ofcom's codes.

    In forceEffective 31 Jan 2024
  • Crime and Policing Act 2026 (nudification tools, AI CSAM generators)
    LawUK ParliamentBinding

    Creates an offence of making, adapting or supplying a tool for generating purported intimate images (nudification apps), with a defence for taking all reasonable steps to prevent non-consensual use; creates offences relating to AI 'child sexual abuse image-generators'; and gives the Secretary of State power to extend Online Safety Act duties to providers of AI services regarding illegal AI-generated content. Applies to developers, suppliers and online services.

    Partly in forceEffective 29 Apr 2026
  • UK Copyright and AI report
    AdvisoryDSIT, DCMS and Intellectual Property OfficeNon-binding

    Statutory report following the Dec 2024-Feb 2025 consultation: the Government states that a broad text-and-data-mining exception with rights-holder opt-out is no longer its preferred way forward and that it will not change copyright law until confident reforms meet its objectives, instead gathering more evidence on transparency, licensing, technical standards and enforcement. Relevant to AI developers and rights holders.

    In forceAdopted 18 Mar 2026

Proposed or in consultation (1)

  • Regulating for Growth Bill (sandboxes incl. AI)
    BillDepartment for Business and Trade / DSITNon-bindingPartly confirmed

    Announced bill to create cross-economy regulatory sandbox powers allowing controlled live-market trials in which existing legal requirements can be modified or suspended for technologies including AI, building on the planned 'AI Growth Lab'. It would apply to firms admitted to sandboxes.

    ProposedProposed 13 May 2026

What the rules require

Obligation types found across United Kingdom's instruments. Filled dot: imposed by a binding instrument. Ring: guidance only.

Prohibited usesDeepfake intimate image creation offence, OSA intimate image (incl. deepfake) sharing offences, Crime and Policing Act 2026 (nudification tools, AI CSAM generators)
Transparency to usersDUAA automated decision-making reforms
Human oversightDUAA automated decision-making reforms
Data governanceDUAA automated decision-making reforms
Copyright and training dataUK Copyright and AI report
Regulatory sandboxAI Opportunities Action Plan, Regulating for Growth Bill (sandboxes incl. AI)
Government use of AIAI Opportunities Action Plan
PenaltiesDeepfake intimate image creation offence, OSA intimate image (incl. deepfake) sharing offences, Crime and Policing Act 2026 (nudification tools, AI CSAM generators)

Timeline