UK, US, China sign AI safety pledge at UK summit

BLETCHLEY PARK, United Kingdom: The world’s first summit on artificial intelligence (AI) safety took place in Bletchley Park, north of London, where political and tech leaders from countries including the UK, United States, and China gathered. The UK government initiated the two-day event and published the “Bletchley Declaration,” signed by 28 countries and the European Union. The declaration highlights the urgent need for international action to ensure the safe and responsible development and deployment of AI for the benefit of the global community.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak described the declaration as a “landmark achievement,” while King Charles III, in a video message to the summit, emphasized the importance of international collaboration in addressing the significant risks associated with unchecked AI development. UK technology minister Michelle Donelan stated that the declaration marks the world coming together to identify this problem.

The UK and the United States announced the establishment of their own institutes to assess and mitigate the risks posed by AI shortly before the summit. While the release of advanced AI models showcases their potential, concerns have arisen regarding issues such as job losses, cyber attacks, and human control over these systems.

The conference at Bletchley Park, renowned for its historical significance as the place where British codebreakers cracked Nazi Germany’s “Enigma” code, specifically focuses on frontier AI. Donelan referred to the event as a “historic moment in mankind’s history” and announced two additional summits to be held in South Korea and France in the coming months.

Although Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and tech giant Elon Musk were among the attendees, London had to scale back its ambitions for the summit, such as launching a new regulatory body, due to a perceived lack of enthusiasm. Donelan acknowledged that the summit does not aim to produce global legislation but rather intends to pave the way for a better understanding of the risks associated with frontier AI.

Elon Musk praised the timeliness of the summit, considering AI as one of the pressing existential risks. US Vice President Kamala Harris emphasized the need to seize the moment and collaborate towards a future where AI creates opportunities, advances equity, and protects rights. However, campaigner Cori Crider expressed concerns that the event might merely be a “talking shop” and called for deeper involvement of UK majors and regulators.

Leading up to the summit, the G7 powers established a non-binding “code of conduct” for companies developing advanced AI systems. In Rome, ministers from Italy, Germany, and France advocated for an innovation-friendly approach to regulating AI in Europe and called for increased investment to challenge the dominance of the United States and China. China’s level of representation at the summit remained unclear, with an invitation to President Xi Jinping raising eyebrows amidst tensions and allegations of technological espionage between China and Western nations. – AFP