Published on: 2026-09-23
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
September 23, 2026 UN
The United Kingdom will combat disinformation both domestically and abroad, as well as work to ensure global safety standards in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), said new Prime Minister Andy Burnham at the UN General Assembly’s general policy debates.
According to him, in recent years there has been a “large-scale attack by hostile forces on the information space” both in the UK itself and in many allied countries.
He told world leaders that “Russian entities used every available means at their disposal to spread lies and disinformation, as well as to play on human fears,” including through bots, fake websites, and fabricated news articles.
Election interference and threat from AI
“They were amplifying the rhetoric of far-right forces. We also have evidence that they attempted to interfere in the course of the 2019 general elections,” he said. “We also know that they tried to incite tensions and provoke unrest following the tragic events.”
The spread of false information on the internet contributed to the outbreak of riots after three girls died in July 2024 in Southport as a result of an attack at a dance club.
According to Bernam, the Kremlin spends about $1.7 billion on “information manipulation,” and he added that British companies and institutions have been subjected to cyberattacks.
“And we understand that artificial intelligence will only exacerbate this threat,” said the prime minister.
Combating disinformation and strengthening security
The Prime Minister announced that the United Kingdom will establish a new National Centre for Information Protection, which will detect information attacks, identify their sources, and stop them while simultaneously supporting and protecting the country’s democratic institutions.
The United Kingdom also intends to use the accumulated experience to assist other countries, as in the case of Moldova, to which the British side provided help to counter the alleged Russian interference during the preparation and conduct of the presidential and parliamentary elections.
“As elections approach in various European countries, more and more states are facing these issues – some of them for the first time,” he said.
“Therefore, we are ready to share our understanding of the methods of operation of these forces and ways to respond to them, as this is very important for our collective security and resilience,” Bernem added.
The British-American partnership in the field of AI
Speaking about artificial intelligence, the prime minister called the cutting-edge developments in this field (the so-called Frontier AI) “one of the most significant challenges and opportunities of our time.”
He announced that the United Kingdom, together with the United States, is developing a new partnership in AI-based defense aimed at securing critical national infrastructure.
Supporting Global AI Governance
He emphasized that fundamental decisions concerning artificial intelligence are “too important to be left to chance,” and “must be made by elected governments acting in the interests of the people.”
In this regard, the United Kingdom intends to unite the efforts of competent experts to realize the potential of AI while simultaneously taking measures to minimize the associated risks.
“We will work on agreeing upon a unified set of global principles and standards to ensure transparency and accessibility of information necessary to enhance our preparedness, as well as to guarantee the safe development of AI,” he stated.
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