The UK and Canada explore AI risks, defense cooperation and joint initiatives during a bilateral meeting in Liverpool. Published September 17, 2026 September 17, 2026 British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held their first bilateral meeting to advance defense and artificial intelligence cooperation, culminating in an evening watching a soccer match together at Everton Stadium in Liverpool. The British prime minister’s office said in a statement on Wednesday that leaders agreed that governments and the technology sector must partner to ensure safety online. and counteract the risks of AI. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The meeting came days after Burnham’s spokesperson welcomed the growing debate among AI companies about the risks of the technology. “It is good that companies developing the most advanced AI systems are now talking openly about the risks and opportunities,” the British Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson said, adding that policy decisions needed to be “based on evidence and not speculation” and that existing regulatory frameworks may no longer be sufficient for AI. Capabilities advance. Neither the UK nor Canada currently have a specific law governing AI. Britain has adopted a sector-led “pro-innovation” approach since publishing its policy paper in March 2023, empowering sector regulators to police AI rather than passing stand-alone legislation. On defence, discussions focused on reconciling competing British and Canadian projects for an allied military financing bank, in the context of Canada applying for the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force and joining the Global Combat Air Program as an observer. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed that Canada become the first “associate member” of the EU, as Ottawa seeks closer ties with Europe amid trade tensions with the United States.
