24-8-2023 (LONDON) Britain is set to host a landmark global summit on artificial intelligence (AI) at Bletchley Park on November 1 and 2. This historic location, once home to Britain’s World War Two codebreakers, including the legendary mathematician Alan Turing, will serve as the backdrop for discussions aimed at establishing Britain as a global leader in ensuring the safety of rapidly advancing AI technology.
The summit will bring together executives from leading tech companies, government officials, and academics to deliberate on the risks associated with AI and strategies to mitigate these risks.
Key topics expected to be addressed during the summit include preventing AI from being exploited for the spread of misinformation during elections and examining its use in military applications. A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, provided insights into the summit’s agenda.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his enthusiasm for hosting the summit, stating, “The UK has long been home to the transformative technologies of the future, so there is no better place to host the first-ever global AI safety summit than at Bletchley Park. To fully embrace the extraordinary opportunities of artificial intelligence, we must grasp and address the risks to ensure it develops safely in the years ahead.”
This initiative was announced in June by Sunak following a meeting with President Joe Biden in Washington. The aim is for Britain to become the intellectual and geographical hub for AI regulation.
Governments worldwide are grappling with the challenge of regulating AI to curb potential negative consequences while fostering innovation. To lead preparations for the summit, tech entrepreneur and expert Matt Clifford and Jonathan Black, a former senior diplomat and deputy national security adviser, have been appointed.
Britain has opted for a unique approach to AI regulation, distributing responsibility among existing bodies overseeing competition, human rights, and health and safety rather than establishing a dedicated AI regulatory body.
In May, the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) economies called for the adoption of standards to ensure trustworthy AI and the creation of a ministerial forum known as the Hiroshima AI process. The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, the United States, and the European Union.
