SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Leading artificial intelligence companies, including Google, Meta, and OpenAI, have kicked off the Seoul AI summit with a commitment to developing AI technology safely. This pledge includes the possibility of halting development if extreme risks cannot be controlled.
World leaders are convening virtually to discuss the potential risks associated with AI and ways to promote its benefits and innovation. This two-day meeting, co-hosted by South Korea and the U.K., follows the high-profile AI Safety Summit held at Bletchley Park in the United Kingdom last November.
Sixteen AI companies, such as Amazon, Microsoft, and France’s Mistral AI, have voluntarily committed to ensuring the safety of their advanced AI models. These companies have agreed to implement accountable governance, public transparency, and safety frameworks to measure and mitigate risks. In cases where risks become severe and intolerable, AI companies must be prepared to cease the development or deployment of their models.
Since the previous AI safety summit, the industry has honed in on pressing concerns, including misinformation, data security, bias, and human involvement in AI processes. The Seoul summit expands on these issues to also consider innovation and inclusivity in AI technologies.
The agreement reached at the Seoul summit will reflect discussions on safety, innovation, and inclusivity, paving the way for further collaboration in the field of artificial intelligence. This week’s gathering is part of a series of global efforts to establish regulations for AI technologies as they continue to evolve rapidly and impact various aspects of daily life.
The meeting will serve as an interim event until a face-to-face summit next year in France, bringing together government officials and industry representatives to address the multifaceted challenges and opportunities presented by AI. China, which attended the previous summit at Bletchley Park, will not participate in the virtual gathering but will send a representative to the in-person meeting.
As governments worldwide strive to navigate the complexities of regulating AI technologies, the collective efforts of industry players and policymakers aim to ensure the safe and responsible development of artificial intelligence for the betterment of society.
