First annual tech dialogue held between UK and US

A ‘Comprehensive Dialogue’ on tech and data between the UK and the US has held its first meeting since it was launched last year. 

The inaugural meeting was lead by four officials from both nations and focussed on three key areas: data, critical and emerging technologies, and secure and resilient digital infrastructure.

Upon the announcement of the annual meeting last October, Digital Secretary Michelle Donelan, who worked with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on the issue said: ‘Data and tech are creating new opportunities for growth and connection between our two countries, including between our world-leading tech industries. 

‘I look forward to working together to bring these benefits to people on both sides of the Atlantic.’ 

The meeting, which took place last week, saw the UK and US representatives identify a list of ‘deliverables’ to focus on in 2023 including: facilitating ‘global trusted data flows’; finalising and implementing a data bridge between the two countries; strengthening collaboration on AI technical standards and tools; holding roundtable discussions on 6G technology; and identifying cooperation opportunities in the semiconductor industry. 

An agreement to hold a quarterly review on the progress of these issues was also made by those involved as well as using the reviews to identify future areas of cooperation in tech and data industries and regulation. 

On the UK side the representatives involved were Susannah Storey, the Director General for Digital and Media Policy at the UK DCMS and Chris Jones, the Director of the Technology and Analysis Directorate at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. 

The US was represented by Grant Harris, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Analysis at the US Department of Commerce, and Nathaniel Flick, the Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy for the US Department of State. 

It had previously been agreed by Ms. Donelan and Ms. Raimondo that the two nations would collaborate on a new ‘data adequacy’ agreement to allow companies to easily and safely transfer data between countries. 

UK correspondence with international partners on digital and tech issues was the focus of another recent partnership made by the government with Japan last year as the two nations committed to another annual meeting to align digital regulations and ensure ease of collaboration between companies in each country.