The UK still has no single AI Act, and the government has signalled it does not intend to write one soon. Its approach leans on existing regulators and a set of new supervised testing grounds.
What is changing
The May King's Speech introduced a Regulating for Growth Bill, which would give regulators powers to run sandboxes where AI tools are trialled under supervision. The first of these, branded AI Growth Labs, open to legal services first, with other sectors following later in 2026. A separate AI Economics Institute, run jointly by the Treasury and DSIT, will study how AI affects productivity and jobs.
What it means for regulated firms
A sandbox lowers the cost of trying a new AI system and gives a regulator early sight of how it behaves. It leaves the underlying duties in place. A firm testing a model still answers to data protection law, its sector rules and, where it operates in the EU, the AI Act. The lighter UK touch raises the value of showing your own governance, since less of it is prescribed for you.
Govern your AI before a regulator asks
HEX 165 assesses your AI systems against the obligations that apply, in the UK and the EU. Get in touch or read more about HEX 165.