# UK Minister Andy Burnham says he plans to use G20 presidency to broker AI governance deal

Digest AI · Policy & Regulation · published 2026-09-22T13:05:04Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/uk-minister-andy-burnham-says-he-plans-to-use-g20-presidency-to-broker

## Summary

Prime Minister Andy Burnham told reporters in New York that the United Kingdom intends to use its upcoming G20 presidency to act as an "honest broker" for a global agreement on artificial intelligence. He said the UK is uniquely placed because of its ties to the EU, the United States and China, and because of its AI Security Institute, which he described as a source of expertise.

Burnham made the remarks ahead of a visit to the United Nations General Assembly, noting that discussions of AI governance have risen sharply on diplomatic agendas after what he called "dire warnings" about the technology's potential threats. The proposal is presented as the most prominent intervention yet from the British prime minister on how the country will respond to perceived AI risks.

No concrete timeline or specific negotiating framework was disclosed, and the statement reflects Burnham’s stated plans rather than a finalized policy. The UK’s role would depend on the willingness of other G20 members to engage in a coordinated governance effort.

## Key points

- Andy Burnham says the UK will use its G20 presidency to broker a global ai governance agreement
- He cites the AI Security Institute as a source of expertise for the UK’s role as an "honest broker"
- Remarks were made ahead of a UN General Assembly visit, amid rising diplomatic focus on ai risks

## Why it matters

A coordinated G20 approach could shape international standards for AI safety, influencing how major economies regulate and develop the technology.

## Sources

1. [UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham says he plans to use the UK's upcoming G20 presidency to broker a global AI governance deal, ahead of the UN General Assembly](https://politico.eu/article/uk-seeks-to-broker-global-ai-agreement-at-g20) (politico.eu, 2026-09-22)

Part of the developing story: [Burnham Pursues Global AI Governance](https://digestai.news/thread/uk-prime-minister-burnham-to-highlight-ai-at-un-skips-finnish-safety-testing) (2 stories)

## Cite

Digest AI, "UK Minister Andy Burnham says he plans to use G20 presidency to broker AI governance deal", 22 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/uk-minister-andy-burnham-says-he-plans-to-use-g20-presidency-to-broker

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