Discover the groundbreaking Bletchley Declaration signed by major nations, including China, the US, and EU members, aimed at fostering the safe development of Artificial Intelligence. Stay informed with DZWatch.net.
In a historic move that underscores the growing concern over the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI), global powers have come together to sign the first-ever declaration on AI risks. The Bletchley Declaration, named after the iconic site of the World War II codebreakers, marks a commitment to the “safe” development of AI technology. This pivotal moment took place at the inaugural International Summit for AI Security and Safety, which saw the participation of China, the United States, the European Union, and approximately 20 other nations in Britain.
The British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, hailed the declaration via the “X” network (formerly known as Twitter), stating that “this historic announcement represents the dawn of a new global effort to build public trust in AI by ensuring its safety.” The signatories, which included the EU and 28 countries, convened at Bletchley Park in North London, agreeing on “the urgent need to understand and manage the potential risks” of AI collectively through “a new global effort to ensure the safe and responsible development and deployment of AI.”
The British Technology Minister, Michelle Donelan, told Agence France-Presse that the Bletchley Declaration “demonstrates for the first time that the world is coming together to define the problem and highlight the connected opportunities.” She clarified that the summit, which began on Wednesday and concluded on Thursday, “is not aimed at laying the groundwork for global legislation, but should chart a path forward” in the field of AI.
From this site of great symbolic significance, Donelan added that the summit would be followed by two international AI conferences, the first in South Korea in six months and the second in France within a year.
Over the two days of the summit, political leaders, AI experts, and technology giants gathered, initiated by the United Kingdom, which seeks to take the lead in global cooperation on this transformative technology.
Meanwhile, the US Vice President, Kamala Harris, is set to announce in London the creation of an Institute for AI Security in Washington. This institute, similar to one announced by the UK, will bring together experts and officials to develop “guiding principles” and assess the most advanced AI models to “identify and mitigate risks,” according to the White House.
The British government, in a report published last Thursday, warned that generative AI, capable of producing text, sounds, or images within seconds upon simple request, has made astonishing progress in recent years. It is expected that new generations of these models will emerge in the coming months. However, the government also cautioned that this promising technology, with significant potential in medicine or education, could also pose an “existential threat” by destabilizing societies through the potential manufacture of weapons or escaping human control.
Stay tuned to DZWatch.net for the latest insights and developments in the world of AI, as we navigate the intersection of technology and society.
