Government proposes new regulatory sandbox to test AI innovations

The government has launched a consultation on “AI growth labs” which innovators can use to test new AI products in real-world conditions with regulations temporarily relaxed.

Known as sandboxes, the system involves the switching off or tweaking of individual rules for a limited period of time in safe, controlled testing environments.

The new sandboxes would initially be used for key sectors like healthcare, professional services, transport, and the use of robotics in advanced manufacturing.

Examples include building AI tools to help health workers deliver better patient care, reduce NHS waiting lists and cut time demands on frontline medical staff, as well as reviewing regulations to speed up housing applications. A typical housing development application currently involves around 4,000 pages of documents and takes as long as 18 months from submission to approval.

Technology secretary Liz Kendall said:

“To deliver national renewal, we need to overhaul the old approaches which have stifled enterprise and held back our innovators.

“We want to remove the needless red tape that slows progress so we can drive growth and modernise the public services people rely on every day.

“This isn’t about cutting corners – it’s about fast-tracking responsible innovations that will improve lives and deliver real benefits.”

Also announced today by the government was a new effort to cut red tape for businesses and save £6 billion a year.