Digital officials, tech company bosses, and researchers from around the world gathered at a former spy base near London for a two-day summit on the risks of cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI). The summit, called the AI Safety Summit, focused on frontier AI, the latest and most powerful general purpose systems that push the limits of technology but come with potential dangers. Participants from 28 nations and the European Union signed an agreement on the safe and responsible development of AI.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a tech enthusiast, sees the summit as the start of a global conversation on AI development. However, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris may shift attention with a separate speech outlining the Biden administration's approach to AI.
Canada's Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry, Francois-Philippe Champagne, emphasized the importance of interoperability between different regulations, as AI transcends national borders. He also expressed concern that not enough is being done to address the risks associated with the rapid evolution of AI.
Prominent figures attending the summit include Tesla CEO Elon Musk, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Musk is scheduled to discuss AI with Sunak in a livestreamed conversation.
During the summit, the Bletchley Declaration on AI Safety was signed by 28 countries and the European Union, highlighting the need for a joint global effort to manage potential risks associated with AI. South Korea has agreed to host a virtual AI summit in six months, followed by an in-person summit in France in a year's time.
Sunak has warned about the threats posed by frontier AI, such as the potential for biological weapons or terrorist exploitation. He believes that only governments, not companies, can ensure people's safety from AI dangers. However, he also cautioned against rushing to regulate AI technology, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive understanding of its implications.
The AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park, a historic codebreaking site from World War II, brought together over 100 delegates and marked an important step in addressing the risks associated with cutting-edge AI technology.