The meeting is an idea from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who aims to establish a position for the UK as a bridge between the United States, China, and the European Union in terms of economics.
On Wednesday(1st November), the UK will bring together governments, academic experts, and cutting-edge AI companies for the first AI Safety Summit. They will discuss the risks associated with AI and whether they can be controlled.
The idea for this meeting comes from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who aims to position the UK as a mediator between the economic powers of the United States, China, and the European Union.
The guest list includes influential figures such as world leaders, tech leaders like Elon Musk, and Sam Altman, who leads ChatGPT, along with academics. The event will take place at Bletchley Park, known for its role in World War II code-breaking.
Some people doubt how much influence the UK can have when the United States, the Group of Seven nations, and the European Union are pursuing their own AI initiatives.
The AI summit, focusing on advanced general-purpose AI models known as “frontier AI,” has attracted significant figures, including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, China’s vice tech minister, and United Nations’ Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
British technology minister Michelle Donelan stated that they’ve gathered experts with the right knowledge to discuss how to reduce the risks associated with AI.
China’s participation is noteworthy due to its significant role in AI development. However, there have been concerns raised by some UK lawmakers about China’s involvement.
The U.S. ambassador to Britain, Jane Hartley, emphasized that the AI conversation should have a global scope but clarified that the invitation to China originated from London, not the U.S. She stated, “This is the UK’s invitation, not the U.S.’s. When the UK government approached us, we told them it’s their summit. So, if they want to invite China, they should go ahead and invite them.”