NEW DELHI: British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held their first bilateral meeting and discussed opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence and agreed on the importance of governments and the technology sector working together to address shared concerns and protect online safety, Downing Street said on September 16, reported Reuters.
Defence ties
The leaders also discussed deepening defence cooperation, including the complementary roles of the Multilateral Defence Mechanism and the Canada-led Defence Security Resilience Bank. “It’s a good thing that the companies developing the most advanced AI systems are now talking openly about the risks as well as the opportunities,” the spokesperson for the British Prime Minister’s Office said, adding that policy decisions needed to be “grounded in evidence rather than speculation” and that existing regulatory frameworks may not remain sufficient as AI capabilities advance, according to Al Jazeera.
DSRB has faced challenges securing support from larger European nations. Britain and Germany had previously distanced themselves from the project.
However, in June then-UK finance minister Rachel Reeves said in the country’s Parliament that the Government was now “working closely” with Canada on the DSRB. Reeves was replaced as finance minister by John Healey in July.
“It’s a good thing that the companies developing the most advanced AI systems are now talking openly about the risks as well as the opportunities,” the spokesperson for the British Prime Minister’s Office said
European partners
Both Prime Ministers emphasised the importance of building close ties with European partners, particularly on trade and defence. Canada, which is seeking to diversify its defence relationships beyond the United States, has formally applied to join the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force military coalition.
Earlier, the two leaders met in northern England, where they discussed opportunities for defenceindustrial cooperation through the Global Combat Air Programme, an advanced fighter jet initiative that Canada joined as an observer in July 2026, according to Carney’s office.
Neither the United Kingdom nor Canada currently has a dedicated law governing AI, adds Al Jazeera. Britain has taken a “pro-innovation”, sector-led approach since releasing its policy paper in March 2023, empowering sectoral regulators to police AI rather than passing standalone legislation.
Privacy laws
Canada’s own initiative, the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act, lapsed when Parliament was prorogued in January 2025. That procedural suspension cancelled all pending legislation, and the measure has not been revived.
The Canadian Government currently relies on privacy law and a voluntary industry code instead.
