Days after an AI expert warns artificial intelligence could wipe out humanity by 2030, Liverpool city region Mayor Steve Rotheram offers a more optimistic vision of the future. Tony McDonough reports

Will artificial intelligence (AI) be a force for good in the coming years or could it, as one expert has claimed, kill us all by 2030?

To be fair to Evan Hubinger, who has resigned as a top researcher at AI safety and research company Anthropic, he did say there was only a 10% chance his apocalyptic scenario would become reality – but it was chilling nonetheless.

Mayor Steve Rotheram is more optimistic. He is determined that Liverpool city region will become a global leader in “AI for good” over the next few decades.

This week Mr Rotheram unveiled his new 15-strong AI “task force”, chaired by Nicola Hodson, former chief executive and chair of IBM UK and Ireland.

It includes leaders in AI research, healthcare innovation, digital skills development, government, business, accessibility, law, digital transformation, and workforce development. Other key figures on the team include:

• Kate Warriner, chief transformation and digital officer for the Alder Hey NHS Foundation Trust and chair of the North West Digital Skills Development Network.
• Katherine Royse, director of the Science and Technology Facilities Council Hartree Centre
• Gary McAllister, chief digital Officer for healthcare and lifesciences at Dell Technologies.

Together, they bring experience of developing “trustworthy” AI tools and programmes, applying technology to healthcare and public services for innovation, supporting digital skills, improving accessibility, advising businesses, and turning academic research and legal requirements into practical work.

This task force will advise on the use and development of AI to support inclusive economic growth, strengthen public services and improve the lives of the city region’s 1.6m residents.

Posting on the social media site X, Evan Hubinger said: “These will soon be superhuman systems that can hack anything, revolutionise any field overnight, and acquire real power and resources.”

Following his warning Darren Jones, former chief secretary to the Treasury and chief secretary to Sir Keir Starmer, wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham calling for a new multinational treaty for the safe development of AI.

“Unless governments take these warnings seriously enough and step up to it, the pace of development could mean that we end up with problems before we’ve started to look at whether it is an issue for us or not,” he said.

READ MORE: AI is ‘top challenge’ for North West businesses

For his part Steve Rotheram believes AI can be harnessed for the good of us all, describing his task force as an “exceptional group”. He explained: “We want Liverpool city region to be at the forefront of the AI for good movement.

“AI is developing at an incredible pace and the opportunities are enormous. I want Liverpool city region to be out in front – whether that’s improving health outcomes, creating better, higher-skilled jobs, transforming public services or driving innovation.”