The UK government will host the first major global summit on AI safety at the start of next month as the world attempts to deal with the challenges being created by artificial intelligence.
The AI Safety Summit will take place on 1 and 2 November at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire – the site where mathematician Alan Turing cracked Nazi Germany’s Enigma code during the Second World War.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made it clear that he wants Britain to become a global leader in AI regulation, but there is a bigger agenda at the heart of this conference.
Let’s look at what its goals are, what will be discussed, who’s expected to be there and what has been said about it so far.
What the aims are
The focus is on the threats AI poses and how to mitigate them.
There are two particular categories of risk that will be focused on:
Misuse risks – For example, where a bad actor is aided by new AI capabilities in biological or cyberattacks, development of dangerous technologies, or critical system interference.
To put it simply, the government wants to be able to deal with criminals using AI to carry out their crimes.
Leaders say this could create significant harm, even the loss of life, if left unchecked.
Loss of control risks – The government says these risks could emerge “from advanced systems that we would seek to be aligned with our values and intentions.”
In other words, the same AI that we create to help us could turn against us.
The government has also set out the five key objectives of the summit:
• A shared understanding of the risks posed by frontier AI and the need for action.
• A forward process for international collaboration on frontier AI safety, including how best to support national and international frameworks.
• Appropriate measures that individual organisations should take to increase frontier AI safety.
• Areas for potential collaboration on AI safety research, including evaluating model capabilities and the development of new standards to support governance.
• Showcase how ensuring the safe development of AI will enable AI to be used for good globally.
What will be (and won’t be) discussed
Attendees will consider the risks of AI – specifically misuse and loss of control – and discuss how they can be mitigated through international collaboration.
The government says the summit provides the space for an international conversation on how nations can work together to meet the “novel challenges these risks pose, combat misuse of models by non-state actors, and promote best practice”.
AI is a complex technology, though, and the government has been clear the summit has a very targeted agenda.
It has acknowledged wider societal risks when it comes to AI, such as misinformation, bias and discrimination, and the potential for mass automation (AI taking over jobs done by people).
But these problems will not be discussed at the summit in depth, because the government feels they are already being addressed both nationally and internationally and doesn’t want “duplicative” efforts.
The government has also acknowledged AI can offer “huge opportunities” to “further transform nearly every aspect of our economy and society”.
The pros of AI will be alluded to at points during the summit, but they won’t be at the forefront.
How the summit will be structured
Day one (1 November)
Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan will make opening remarks, followed by comments by “nations at the frontier of AI development” – the nations and speakers have not yet been confirmed by the government.
Speakers from the UK’s Frontier AI Taskforce, set up earlier this year to identify and evaluate the risks at the forefront of AI, will then take to the stage.
A series of roundtable discussions between governments, tech companies and academics will then take place about both understanding the risks AI presents and how to improve safety.
The day will end with a panel discussion on the potential AI presents to transform education for future generations, followed by closing remarks by Ms Donelan.
Michelle Donelan
Day two (2 November)
Mr Sunak will bring together a small group of government officials, companies and experts to further discuss what steps can be taken to address AI risks.
The government says at the same time, Ms Donelan will speak to her international counterparts to agree next steps in efforts to make sure AI is used as a force for good.
Who will be there?
Downing Street has said it is “confident key players” will attend the summit, pitching it as “the first time that international partners, AI experts and tech companies and civil society will come together in this way”.
The prime minister’s official spokesman said they weren’t going to get into “speculation” over the guest list, though “it will be for other countries to set out their attendance”.
Those comments came after reports German Chancellor Olaf Scholz could turn down the invitation, potentially leading to other leaders declining the chance to attend.
There have also been question marks over whether Chinese officials should be allowed to attend the summit, due to alleged spying by Beijing on western governments.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly confirmed Chinese officials were invited last month, saying: “We cannot keep the UK public safe from the risks of AI if we exclude one of the leading nations in AI tech.”
UK officials have said they expect Chinese officials to attend, but China has yet to comment publicly.
What we do know is there are expected to be about 100 guests at Bletchley Park, including Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis and US Vice-President Kamala Harris.
The vice-president, who has been outspoken on the issues AI poses, is expected to speak at the summit.
Kamala Harris
What has been said about the summit so far?
Perhaps the most direct comments have come from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, which says AI has put humans at a “crossroads”.
Introducing the summit, a department statement said: “AI technologies are evolving with unprecedented speed. Soon, models many times more powerful than what is currently available may be released.
“The capabilities of these models are very difficult to predict – sometimes even to those building them – and by default they could be made available to a wide range of actors, including those who might wish us harm.
“This pace of change means that urgent action on AI safety is needed. We are at a crossroads in human history and to turn the other way would be a monumental missed opportunity for mankind.”
The prime minister has said: “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.
“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.
“No one country can do this alone. This is going to take a global effort.
“But with our vast expertise and commitment to an open, democratic international system, the UK will stand together with our allies to lead the way.”
Matt Clifford, a tech investor and one of the summit’s chief organisers, said: “It’s not a parliament. We’re not making laws. We’re not making treaties.
“We’re trying to bring different people into the conversation with very different opinions.”
Demis Hassabis, chief executive of Google DeepMind, said: “AI brings incredible opportunities but also challenges for the world, and international cooperation is essential for ensuring this technology is developed safely and responsibly for the benefit of everyone.
“The global summit on AI safety will play a critical role in bringing together government, industry, academia and civil society, and we’re looking forward to working closely with the UK government to help make these efforts a success.”
Dario Amodei, chief executive of the AI safety and research company Anthropic, said: “It’s deeply important we make AI safe.
“There is an enormous amount of work that still needs to be done. So we commend the prime minister for bringing the world together to find answers and have smart conversations.”
Dr Maya Dillon, head of AI at Cambridge Consultants, told Sky News the summit is “a great opportunity” for the UK to take a leading role in setting the tone for AI development globally.
“This is a vital and valuable opportunity for world leaders and all sectors to come together,” she said.
She called for the summit to produce a “bill of intentions” to guide the safe development of the technology, including transparency around how the algorithms behind AI models are made, a regular audit of those models, and greater cooperation between government, organisations, academia, and business.
Kriti Sharma, founder of AI for Good UK, told Sky News she hoped the summit would focus more on “near term” applications of AI, rather than some of the more far-flung, existential concerns.
The goal should be to “improve productivity within our workforce” and enjoy the economic benefits it brings.
“It’s really positive the government is taking an active interest in bringing people together – they just need to go further with turning this into real action for business deploying AI today,” she added.
How you can get summit updates
The government has said it will publish conclusions from each meeting at the end of the summit.
Credit: Sky News