The United Kingdom and the United States have forged a historic agreement aimed at jointly advancing the testing and evaluation of cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
Signed on Monday, the agreement shows the commitment of both nations to developing robust methods for assessing the safety of AI tools and their underlying systems.
This bilateral pact, the first of its kind, marks a significant milestone in international collaboration on AI development. According to UK tech minister Michelle Donelan, addressing the safety challenges posed by AI is paramount and represents a global imperative.
“Ensuring the safe development of AI is a shared global issue,” Donelan emphasized, stressing the need for collaborative efforts to mitigate risks and leverage AI’s transformative potential for societal benefit.
The agreement builds upon previous commitments made during the AI Safety Summit convened at Bletchley Park in November 2023.
Attended by key figures in the AI industry, including leaders from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and entrepreneur Elon Musk, the summit saw the establishment of AI Safety Institutes in both the UK and the US.
These institutes aim to evaluate the safety and reliability of both open-source and closed-source AI systems.
The agreement seeks to address these concerns by fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing between the two nations.
Gina Raimondo, the US commerce secretary, highlighted the significance of the partnership in enhancing understanding and guidance regarding AI systems.
“Our partnership makes clear that we aren’t running away from these concerns. we’re running at them,” Raimondo said.
The agreement is poised to accelerate the work of the newly established AI Safety Institutes, enabling both governments to comprehensively assess the risks associated with AI and safeguard national security and societal well-being.
Chioma Kalu
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