WIREDGOV

The strategic partnership announced recently (12 April 2024), bolsters the UK Government's ambition to be world leader in AI.

The UK and the Republic of Korea recently announced, they are pressing forward with plans for the upcoming wave of global discussions on the safe development of Artificial Intelligence technologies, with the AI Seoul Summit scheduled for May 21st and 22nd, which will take place partially virtually. 

Building on the foundation laid by the Bletchley Park discussions, the AI Seoul Summit will convene international governments, AI companies, academia, and civil society once more to advance the global AI safety agenda. These forthcoming discussions arrive at a critical moment with the imminent release of increasingly capable and sophisticated AI models throughout 2024. 

Countries will convene to discuss AI safety, the potential capabilities of advanced AI models, fostering inclusivity in AI, and exploring avenues for further innovation. 

During the summit, the UK Government will continue to position itself as a key voice in these discussions, with highlight sessions to be co-chaired between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and UK Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan, and their counterparts in the Republic of Korea. A select number of global industry leaders will also be invited. 

The UK continues to drive forward international collaboration on AI safety through the AI Safety Institute. The Institute has shared their ambitions and three progress reports published alongside their current approach to evaluations. They continue to expand their team and collaborative efforts, with a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United States on AI safety. 

Accompanying the AI Seoul Summit is the inaugural release of the International Scientific Report on Advanced AI Safety, a significant commitment arising from the Bletchley Park Summit. Led independently by Turing Prize laureate Yoshua Bengio, the report consolidates the leading scientific research on AI safety globally, with an international Expert Advisory Panel for the report made up of 30 countries, including nominees from nations who were invited to the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park. 

In its press release, the UK Government also highlighted ongoing projects related to AI-driven innovation, including the Manchester Prize, marking a decade-long commitment of £1 million every year by the UK Government to support the advancement of technical solutions to pressing challenges such as climate change and energy efficiency.