Government sets out AI Safety Summit ambitions

The government has set out its ambitions for the AI Safety Summit, which is due to take place on 1st and 2nd November at Bletchley Park.

The summit will bring together key countries, leading technology organisations, academia and civil society to inform rapid national and international action at the frontier of Artificial Intelligence (AI) development.

The event will address risks created or significantly exacerbated by the most powerful AI systems, particularly those associated with the potentially dangerous capabilities of these systems. This could include the proliferation of access to information which could undermine biosecurity. The summit will also address how safe AI can be used for public good and to improve people’s lives, including medical technology and safer transport.

This week, secretary of state Michelle Donelan is launching the start of formal engagement prior to the summit and Jonathan Black and Matt Clifford, the prime minister’s representatives for the AI Safety Summit are beginning discussions with countries and frontier AI organisations.

The five objectives of the summit have been shared, which build upon initial stakeholder consultation and evidence-gathering. These objectives will frame the discussion at the summit and will cover: a shared understanding of the risks posed by frontier AI and the need for action; a forward process for international collaboration on frontier AI safety, including how best to support national and international frameworks; appropriate measures which individual organisations should take to increase frontier AI safety; areas for potential collaboration on AI safety research, including evaluating model capabilities and the development of new standards to support governance; and showcase how ensuring the safe development of AI will enable AI to be used for good globally.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay