The United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union, and China have collectively recognized the potential ‘catastrophic’ risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI). This recognition came in the form of an international declaration, the first of its kind to address this rapidly emerging technology.
The declaration, known as the Bletchley Declaration, was signed by 28 governments on the first day of the AI Safety Summit hosted by the British government.
28 countries & the EU have signed The Bletchley Declaration at the #AISafetySummit agreeing to:
— Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (@SciTechgovuk) November 1, 2023
⚠️ identify the key opportunities & risks of AI
🌍 build a global understanding of Frontier AI risks
🔬 collaborate on AI scientific research
Find out more:https://t.co/f6e8ABhoKz pic.twitter.com/SgRA8TjL1q
The declaration acknowledges the potential for “serious, even catastrophic harm, deliberate or unintentional, arising from the most significant capabilities of these AI models.” It also highlights the need for international cooperation to develop and implement safety standards and regulations for AI.
“There is potential for serious, even catastrophic, harm, either deliberate or unintentional, stemming from the most significant capabilities of these AI models”.
The declaration states
The declaration also outlines a number of steps that the four countries will take to reduce the risks of AI, including:
- Investing in AI safety research
- Developing international standards for the development and use of AI
- Promoting transparency and accountability in the development and use of AI
- Working together to address the ethical challenges posed by AI
While it did not agree to establish an international testing hub in the UK as some had hoped, it did lay out a blueprint for future international collaboration. Future safety summits are now planned in South Korea in six months and in France in a year.
The UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, hailed the declaration as a “landmark achievement that sees the world’s greatest AI powers agree on the urgency behind understanding the risks of AI”.
UK Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan emphasized that this is the first time countries have agreed to collectively examine the risks associated with AI. However, there is still little international consensus on a global set of AI regulations or who should be responsible for creating them.
In response to this development, tech billionaire Elon Musk warned about the potential dangers of AI surpassing human intelligence and questioned our ability to control such advanced technology.
In parallel with these developments, the US announced a separate American Institute for AI Security within the US National Institute of Science and Technology. This institute aims to develop best-in-class standards and will develop its own rules for safety, security, and testing1. The EU is also in the process of approving a draft law on AI that aims to develop regulatory principles and introduce rules for specific technologies such as live facial recognition.
