Global Leaders Unite at the AI Safety Summit

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The first-ever AI Safety Summit, hosted by the United Kingdom, brings many world leaders to an agreement (Image credit: New Scientist).

Throughout the 2-day summit at Bletchley Park, UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak announced the agreement between Vice President Kamala Harris and a senior Chinese government official hoping to curb the risk imposed by AI technology. Sunak hosted this summit in order to “tip the balance in favor of humanity” by settling the dilemma caused by modern AI. Many executives of tech companies such as Elon Musk attended this summit symbolizing the international unity for addressing the development of AI as it was backed by more than 25 countries.

Throughout this week, the White House ensured that concerns regarding AI were settled. Biden now only issues an executive order against tech firms to obligate them to submit tests of potent AI systems, but Vice President Harris also made sure to act upon this. Her speech during the first day of the summit in London announced the concept of the AI Safety Institute. She stated, “These threats are often referred to as the existential threats of A.I. because, of course, they could endanger the very existence of humanity”.

Multi-billionaire CEO Elon Musk made an unforgettable appearance during the summit. His attendance sparked immense attention as he began his startup company called xAI. Sunak intended to create a streamed fireside chat in which Musk warned the audience against AI’s threats to humanity. 

As China has already agreed to work with the US and European Union, their attendance at the summit further reinforced their support. China’s Vice Minister Wu Zhaohui’s attendance allowed him to voice his opinion on Beijing’s state of preparedness to collaborate in international efforts. 

For some time, the EU has demonstrated efforts toward preventing humans from being blindsided by technology by passing its AI act. While the UK hasn’t imposed extreme regulations similar to the EU, they agree on the importance of this summit to attack the problem aroused by AI. King Charles has left the urgency of dealing with this issue and the amount of unity needed to develop the strength to defeat it. He states that the development of AI is “no less important than the discovery of electricity”.

As this “frontier of AI” is controlled, Sunak’s efforts have pointed towards his aim to increase investments made from tech firms in the U.K. and use it to confront AI. We can now look forward to the next AI safety summit in 2024 which is guaranteed to be hosted by France, where Sunak’s initiative will continue. 

Written by Milanni Contreras

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