UK to host 1st global summit on AI safety this year

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The UK will host the first global summit on AI safety later this year as "the world grapples with the challenges and opportunities presented by the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence,” the British prime minister announced on Thursday.

The summit, which will bring together key countries, leading tech companies, and researchers to evaluate and monitor the most significant risks from AI, will be held in the UK this autumn, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.

"AI has an incredible potential to transform our lives for the better. But we need to make sure it is developed and used in a way that is safe and secure," Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in the statement.

The prime minister's statement was released during his visit to Washington DC, where he will meet with US President Joe Biden later on Thursday at the White House to discuss the opportunities and challenges of emerging technology.

"Time and time again throughout history we have invented paradigm-shifting new technologies and we have harnessed them for the good of humanity. That is what we must do again," Sunak noted.

"This is going to take a global effort," he underlined, mentioning his country's willingness to lead global efforts on the issue.

Last month, Sunak had talks with CEOs of the AI labs, including OpenAI, DeepMind, and Anthropic, at Downing Street, London.

According to the statement, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will convene the first-ever UN Security Council briefing on the opportunities and risks of AI for international peace and security in July.

UK's departure from the EU allows the country "to act more quickly and agilely in response to this rapidly changing market," the statement said, adding that Britain was one of the first leading nations to set out a blueprint for the safe and responsible development of AI.​​​​​​​