US, EU sign new pact on artificial intelligence collaboration

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) – The US and EU signed on Friday a new agreement to bolster bilateral collaboration on the development of artificial intelligence to address a host of "major global challenges" they face.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the "administrative arrangement" would be used to bring together experts from both sides of the Atlantic to further research on artificial intelligence computing "and related privacy protecting technologies, as underscored in the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) commitment."

The mechanism convened in December outside of the US capital in College Park, Maryland, and agreed to enhance cooperation on a series of agenda items, including trade and artificial intelligence development.

Friday's agreement creates a joint model to drive research in five main areas: extreme weather and climate forecasting, emergency response, health and medicine, electric grid optimization, and agriculture optimization, according to the White House.

"Together, we are confident the results of our research will extend beyond our partnership to benefit additional international partners and the global science community," Sullivan said in a statement.

"Today's announcement also builds on the vision set forth in the Declaration for the Future of the Internet (DFI) for an open, free, reliable, and secure Internet and digital technologies around the world. We look forward to deepening our cooperation with the EU through this initiative," he added.​​​​​​​