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The UK is set to announce an international advisory group on artificial intelligence (AI) at an upcoming summit, as part of efforts to address the risks associated with this technology on a global scale.
Sources familiar with the UK government’s plans reveal that the country aims to introduce a global group during the UK AI summit, which will contribute to the understanding of AI’s capabilities and risks.
The proposed group is expected to be loosely based on the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak intends to position the UK as a leader in AI regulation, thereby establishing a prominent role for the country in the rapidly evolving global technology sector, where it has been losing ground to the US and China.
An anonymous source mentions that the advisory group will consist of a rotating panel of academics and experts in different geographical areas. Their primary task will involve producing an annual report on cutting-edge developments in AI.
Importantly, this group will be separate from the planned UK AI safety institute, which will focus on evaluating the national security risks associated with machine learning models. The announcement regarding the creation of this institute is expected in the near future.
The government envisions discussions at the AI summit to facilitate a forward process for international collaboration on frontier AI safety, including support for national and international frameworks.
Frontier AI encompasses advanced applications of AI, such as large language models capable of generating human-like text, images, and code. Notable examples of products incorporating this technology are OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard.
A recent Financial Times article written by a group of American corporate AI leaders and policy experts, including former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, proposed the establishment of an independent, expert-led body inspired by the IPCC to oversee AI development. This International Panel on AI Safety (IPAIS) would serve as a repository for existing research and implementation, evaluate AI risks and future trajectories, and act as a hub for expertise.
It remains uncertain if the UK government will base its international advisory body on the IPAIS concept.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden expressed confidence that the government’s “frontier AI” task force, established in June with £100mn in funding, has the potential to evolve into a permanent institutional structure with international influence.
The two-day UK AI summit, commencing on November 1 at Bletchley Park, the historical site of codebreaking activities during World War II, will mainly be attended by AI company executives, researchers, and government leaders.
Last week, officials from the UK and China confirmed China’s participation in the summit, alongside the US, to establish an international governance framework for AI.
While the UK has placed significant emphasis on AI’s potential threats to national security, such as cyber attacks and the misuse of AI for bioweapons, sources within the government reveal that Prime Minister Sunak has instructed cabinet ministers to highlight the benefits of AI across various sectors, including healthcare and defense.
Discussions at the summit will cover topics such as election disruption, the spread of misinformation, the future direction of AI development, and economic opportunities related to AI.
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