The UK and US governments have inked a groundbreaking agreement to jointly test and develop safety measures for advanced AI technologies.
Main Points:
- The UK and US have signed a landmark memorandum of understanding focused on the safety evaluation of AI tools and their foundational systems, marking the first deal of its kind.
- The agreement aims to address global AI development challenges collaboratively, building on commitments from the 2023 AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park, attended by leaders like Sam Altman and Elon Musk.
- The deal stresses the importance of a shared approach to understanding AI’s potential risks to national security and society, amid ongoing concerns about AI safety and regulation.
Summary:
In a significant step towards ensuring the safe development of artificial intelligence, the UK and US governments have forged a pioneering agreement to jointly explore safety assessments for AI technologies. This collaboration underscores a mutual recognition of AI’s profound potential alongside its risks, seeking to proactively address the challenges it presents to both nations and the wider world. UK Tech Minister Michelle Donelan highlighted the shared global responsibility in managing AI’s development, emphasizing the need for cooperation in harnessing its benefits while mitigating its risks.
This bilateral agreement, stemming from commitments made at the AI Safety Summit in November 2023, brings together the efforts of both countries in establishing AI Safety Institutes. These institutes are tasked with evaluating both open and closed-source AI systems, signaling a robust approach towards AI safety and regulation. The agreement comes at a time of heightened activity and competition within the AI sector, alongside increasing regulatory scrutiny, as evidenced by the EU’s forthcoming AI Act. It also addresses current self-regulatory practices in the AI industry and the potential dangers of more advanced AI capabilities, including “general” AI, which could perform a wide array of human tasks. The US Commerce Secretary, Gina Raimondo, remarked that this partnership is aimed at confronting AI-related concerns directly, enhancing both nations’ understanding of AI systems to better navigate their societal and security implications.
Source: AI Safety: UK and US sign landmark agreement
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