Department for Science, Innovation and Technology written question – answered at on 15 December 2025.
Chi Onwurah
Shadow Minister (Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), Chair, Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, Chair, Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 96656, if she will make an assessment of the a) the proportion of chatbots which use search and b) the characteristics of chatbots which use search.
Kanishka Narayan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Chatbots that use search capabilities are designed to generate responses for users by actively searching the live web. This functionality means they would be captured by the Online Safety Act’s duties as a search service.
The Secretary of State confirmed in Parliament that the government is considering how AI chatbots interact with the Act and has also urged ofcom to use its existing powers to ensure that AI chatbots are safe for children.
As part of this work, the government continues to assess the prevalence and nature of chatbot services.
Yes1 person thinks so
No0 people think not
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Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services.
Ofcom Web Site http://www.ofcom.org.uk
