China joins US, EU in global AI risk management effort
At the AI Safety Summit in Bletchley Park, England, China has committed to collaborating with the United States (US), European Union (EU), and other nations to address the potential risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI). The summit's goal is to create a secure roadmap for this rapidly advancing technology. Tech leaders and politicians have cautioned that unchecked AI development could pose a global existential threat, leading governments and international organizations to devise protective measures and regulations.
The Bletchley Declaration
Over 25 countries, such as the US, China, and the countries within EU, have signed the "Bletchley Declaration," which highlights the importance of a unified approach to AI regulation. The declaration presents a dual-focus agenda that aims to identify shared risks and enhance scientific knowledge while creating cross-national policies to mitigate these risks. Wu Zhaohui, China's Vice Minister of Science and Technology, conveyed Beijing's willingness to collaborate on AI safety and contribute to the development of an international "governance framework."
ChatGPT's debut last November sparked concerns
AI's potential effects on economies and societies became a growing concern in November last year when Microsoft-backed OpenAI released ChatGPT to the public. This natural language processing tool generates human-like conversations, causing some AI experts to worry that machines might eventually outsmart humans, leading to countless unforeseen consequences. Governments and officials are now partnering with AI companies that are concerned about being hindered by regulations before the technology reaches its full potential.
Frontier AI risks
While the EU has concentrated its AI regulation efforts on data privacy, surveillance, and their possible impact on human rights, the UK summit is exploring existential threats posed by highly capable general-purpose models known as "frontier AI." Mustafa Suleyman, Co-Founder of Google Deepmind, said that current frontier AI models do not present any "significant catastrophic harms" but agreed that proactive planning is crucial as the industry develops larger models.
Future AI safety summits
Michelle Donelan, British digital minister, announced two additional AI Safety Summits to take place in South Korea and France in six months and a year, respectively. She praised the accomplishment of bringing key stakeholders together and stressed the significance of nations agreeing to collectively address the risks associated with frontier AI. The brainchild of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the summit aims to position the UK as a mediator between the economic blocs of US, China, and EU following Brexit.
