Artificial intelligence | UK Regulatory Outlook May 2026 Published on 27th May 2026 UK updates: King's Speech 2026: AI aspects | Crime and Policing Act 2026: AI-related provisions | ICO sets out five steps to combat AI-powered cyber threats | Government publishes response to AI and copyright report | EU updates: EU legislators reach provisional agreement on Digital Omnibus on AI | Commission consults on draft guidelines for the classification of high-risk AI systems under the EU AI Act | Commission opens consultation on draft guidelines on AI transparency obligations under the EU AI Act UK updates King's Speech 2026: AI aspects King Charles III opened Parliament on 13 May 2026 with the announcement of 37 bills his ministers would like to pass in this parliamentary session. While there is no mention of any plans for further regulation of AI (including in respect of the continuing debate around AI and copyright), the new Regulating for Growth Bill will put regulatory "sandboxes" onto a statutory footing to allow businesses across the economy, through the temporary relaxation of existing rules, to test innovative AI products and other emerging technologies safely, in a real-world setting. The Police Reform Bill will deliver reforms to policing by, among other things, "equipping the police with the technology and skills [they need]". This includes the introduction of a new legal framework governing the use of facial recognition and similar technologies. The framework will set out the situations in which the use of these technologies is justified and create a single, expert independent regulatory body to provide independent oversight and advice. See this Insight for more on these and other announcements in the King's Speech. Crime and Policing Act 2026: AI-related provisions The Crime and Policing Bill received Royal Assent on 29 April, becoming the Crime and Policing