The UK government is stepping up efforts to better understand the structure and growth of its AI sector through an updated national survey led by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
The research, conducted by Ipsos and supported by Perspective Economics, aims to gather direct insights from businesses operating in the UK AI ecosystem. The findings are expected to inform future government policy on AI and sector development.
Participation is voluntary and confidential. Respondents are drawn from senior leadership roles, including chief executives, chief technology officers, company directors, and senior members of AI or data science teams. The survey focuses on business activity, products and services, and longer-term growth plans across the sector.
Fieldwork is taking place between late April and the end of May 2026 using online questionnaires and telephone interviews. Each session is expected to last around 15 to 20 minutes, allowing businesses to contribute structured input without significant disruption to normal operations.
The initiative reflects a wider UK policy priority: ensuring that government strategy keeps pace with developments in AI innovation and commercial growth. By drawing on direct industry evidence rather than relying only on secondary analysis, policymakers are trying to build a more accurate picture of the country’s evolving AI landscape. This last sentence is an inference based on the survey’s stated purpose of informing government AI policy.
Why does it matter?
AI policy is much easier to design in theory than in a market that is changing quickly and unevenly. If the government lacks current information on how AI firms are growing, what products they are developing, and where the main constraints lie, it risks shaping policy based on outdated assumptions. Direct input from businesses gives policymakers a stronger basis for decisions on support, regulation, skills, and investment, especially at a time when the UK is trying to turn AI ambition into measurable economic capacity.
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Recent data from Eurostat and the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia highlights that around one-third of people in Latvia use AI tools. Latvian Public Media reports that usage broadly matches the EU average.
In Latvia, 35.1 percent of internet users reported using AI in 2025, slightly above the EU figure of 33 percent. Adoption is highest among younger people, with nearly three-quarters of those aged 16 to 24 using such tools.
Usage varies across demographics, with higher rates among educated users and employed individuals. Men use AI slightly more than women, while regional differences show stronger uptake in the Riga area.
Many non-users say they see no need for AI, while others cite a lack of skills or awareness. The findings were reported based on official data in Latvia.
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Greece is moving to tighten online child protection and expand AI-based public enforcement as part of a broader digital governance agenda, Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence Minister Dimitris Papastergiou has said.
Under the plan, social media platforms would, from 2027, be required to block access for users under 15 using age verification systems rather than self-declared age data. However, AI is already being used in road safety enforcement, with smart cameras issuing digital fines through government platforms.
The policy includes tools such as Kids Wallet, built on privacy-preserving verification methods that share only age eligibility. Authorities say the aim is to address risks linked to digital addiction while strengthening protections for minors across online environments.
Alongside these measures, AI is already being deployed in road safety enforcement. Smart cameras are being used to issue digital fines through government platforms, with a nationwide rollout planned to expand monitoring and improve compliance.
These measures form part of a wider effort to digitise public administration, reduce inefficiencies, and strengthen accountability. By embedding technology more deeply into everyday governance, Greece is trying to reshape how citizens interact with the state while also addressing long-standing systemic problems.
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Itron has confirmed a cyber intrusion affecting parts of its internal systems, drawing attention to growing vulnerabilities across digital infrastructure linked to essential utility services. In a regulatory filing, the company said an unauthorised third party gained access to certain systems before the activity was contained and removed.
The US energy technology company said it has not identified any compromise of customer-hosted systems, suggesting that the incident may be limited to internal operations for now. At the same time, the lack of detail on the attack method, including whether ransomware was involved, underscores the uncertainty that still surrounds the breach.
As a provider of connected technologies for utilities serving more than 110 million homes and businesses, Itron sits within infrastructure that supports electricity, water, and gas services at scale. That makes the incident significant beyond the company itself, even if operational disruption appears limited so far.
Itron said it activated its cybersecurity response plan, notified law enforcement, and implemented contingency measures, including reliance on backups, to maintain continuity. The company also said operations have continued in all material respects while the investigation remains ongoing.
While services appear largely unaffected at this stage, the filing suggests the full scope of the breach has not yet been determined. The case reflects the growing pressure on infrastructure technology providers to strengthen cyber resilience as threats increasingly target the digital systems underpinning essential services.
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The European Commission has introduced a European Register of protected data to improve access to public sector information. The initiative is presented through the data.europa.eu platform as part of wider data-sharing efforts.
According to the Commission, the register provides a central point for discovering protected data held by public authorities. It is designed to make such datasets more visible and easier to locate.
The platform helps users identify conditions under which protected data can be accessed and reused. This includes guidance on legal and technical requirements linked to sensitive datasets.
The European Commission states that the register aims to strengthen transparency and data-driven innovation while supporting access to public sector information across the European Union.
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UNESCO has supported Paraguay in developing a regulatory framework governing the use of AI within its judicial system.
The policy, adopted by the Supreme Court of Justice of Paraguay, establishes clear limits on AI use, ensuring that such systems function strictly as support tools rather than replacing human decision-making.
A regulation that outlines principles for the application of AI in data processing, information management and assisted decision-making. It emphasises transparency, accountability and respect for fundamental rights, requiring disclosure when AI tools influence judicial processes.
The framework aligns with UNESCO’s global guidelines on AI in courts, which promote human oversight, auditability and the protection of rights throughout the lifecycle of AI systems.
Implementation has been supported through technical cooperation, including training programmes to strengthen institutional capacity.
Such an approach in Paraguay reflects a broader trend towards embedding ethical safeguards in AI governance within public institutions. It highlights the role of international cooperation in shaping regulatory models that balance innovation with legal certainty and public trust.
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The Ghanaian Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations has launched a public-sector AI capacity development programme in collaboration with the Government of Japan and the United Nations Development Programme. The initiative aims to strengthen digital skills across government institutions.
According to the Ministry, the programme is designed to equip public officials with knowledge of AI and its applications in governance. It focuses on improving decision-making and service delivery, drawing on experience from the UN and Japan.
Why does it matter?
The initiative includes training, practical sessions and policy discussions to support responsible adoption of AI technologies. It also aims to help institutions identify relevant use cases and implementation strategies.
The Ministry presents the interdisciplinary programme as part of broader efforts to advance digital transformation and strengthen institutional capacity in Ghana.
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The European Commission has issued a supplementary charge sheet to Meta (called Supplementary Statement of Objections), outlining concerns over potential restrictions on third-party AI assistants’ access to WhatsApp.
A move that forms part of an ongoing investigation into a possible abuse of dominant market position under the EU competition rules.
The Commission’s preliminary assessment suggests that recent policy changes, including the introduction of access fees, may have effects equivalent to an earlier exclusion of competing AI services.
Something that raises concerns about barriers to entry and reduced competition in the emerging market for AI assistants.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the UK has outlined priorities for regulating AI in healthcare, focusing on safety, effectiveness and public trust.
An approach that includes strengthening pre-market evaluation and post-market surveillance, particularly for adaptive systems operating in real-world settings.
These extend beyond technical validation to include implementation challenges, system-wide impacts and the role of human oversight in clinical environments.
The analysis emphasises that AI in healthcare operates as a socio-technical system, requiring assessment of usability, fairness and real-world outcomes. It also identifies gaps in current evaluation practices, particularly in local service assessments, which may lack consistency and reliability.
Strengthening evaluation standards, improving coordination and addressing risks such as bias and inequity are presented as central to enabling safe and scalable adoption.
Such a framework in the UK aims to balance innovation with accountability while ensuring equitable access to healthcare technologies.
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The European Patent Office (EPO) has introduced automated real-time captions for oral proceedings conducted via video conference (VICOs), aiming to improve accessibility for participants with hearing impairments.
The measure forms part of broader efforts to enhance inclusivity within digital public services.
While activation requires prior request, the feature reflects a shift towards more accessible and adaptable procedural frameworks in digital legal environments.
The introduction of captions aligns with wider European accessibility and digitalisation objectives, supporting equitable participation in administrative and legal processes.
At the same time, the EPO notes that machine-generated captions may contain inaccuracies and are intended solely as a support tool during proceedings.
Such a development illustrates how AI-enabled tools are being integrated into institutional workflows to address accessibility barriers, while maintaining procedural safeguards and operational integrity.
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