Rishi Sunak has cautioned that artificial intelligence could potentially endanger humanity at a level comparable to a pandemic or nuclear warfare. He has called for a meeting with global leaders at Bletchley Park to address the need for regulation in this industry.
On Thursday, the prime minister expressed worry over the potential danger that advanced AI models could pose to the general public, echoing similar concerns raised by notable figures in the industry.
Sunak is seeking to obtain consensus from various governments, such as the US, EU, Japan, and Canada, regarding the collaboration on establishing a process for testing the safety of AI tools before their release.
Sunak informed journalists that those who are creating AI technology have acknowledged the potential risks associated with it, but it is important not to exaggerate these concerns. There is ongoing discussion on this subject and even those within the industry do not have a unified stance, so it is difficult to come to a definite conclusion.
However, there is evidence to suggest that it could potentially have a similar impact as pandemics and nuclear warfare. As leaders, it is our duty to take action and implement measures to safeguard the well-being of individuals. This is precisely what we are currently doing.
He is set to have a discussion with Elon Musk on Thursday evening, which will be streamed on the tech mogul’s social media site, X.
During the summit on Wednesday, Musk informed journalists that AI posed a significant danger to humanity.
The premier made an appearance at Bletchley Park on Thursday morning for a follow-up day of strenuous diplomatic efforts at the global AI safety conference.
The start of the summit brought joy to British officials as they were able to release a statement signed by 28 governments, such as the UK, US, EU, and China. This declaration, known as the Bletchley declaration, pledged cooperation among the signatories to establish safety protocols, which officials compared to the Cop summits addressing the climate emergency.
Sunak’s efforts to establish the UK as a global frontrunner in creating innovative AI regulations were somewhat overlooked on Wednesday due to an announcement by US commerce secretary, Gina Raimondo, about a new AI Safety Institute in Washington.
British authorities anticipate collaborating closely with the recently established US institute and other organizations to establish a “network” of comparable entities capable of conducting testing globally. Officials plan to disclose additional information about the operations of this network on Thursday.
On Thursday, Sunak is set to have a meeting with US Vice-President Kamala Harris during the summit. Discussions will also take place with Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, and Georgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy. Remote participation is anticipated from leaders of other nations such as Japan and Canada.
After that, Sunak will go back to London to have a talk with Musk.
The prime minister justified his choice to have Musk as a guest and share their conversation on one of his platforms. In an interview with the BBC on Wednesday, he stated that Musk has experience as both an investor and developer of AI technologies. He has also been vocal about the potential dangers of AI and has emphasized the importance of collaboration between countries and companies in managing and minimizing those risks.
“He is undoubtedly a valuable contributor to the conversation.”
Source: theguardian.com
