Global AI Summit in Seoul Concludes with Emphasis on Cooperation and Safety Measures

South Korea Hosts Global AI Summit, Calls for International Cooperation

In a bid to ensure the successful development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), South Korea’s science and information technology minister emphasized the need for global cooperation at a summit held in Seoul. The summit, co-hosted with Britain, addressed significant concerns surrounding AI such as job security, copyright issues, and inequality.

During the event, 16 tech companies committed to a voluntary agreement to develop AI safely, while another pledge was signed by 14 companies, including Alphabet’s Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and six Korean firms. This agreement focused on using methods like watermarking to identify AI-generated content, ensuring job creation, and providing assistance to socially vulnerable groups.

Minister Lee Jong-Ho stressed the importance of collaboration, stating that cooperation is not just an option but a necessity in the rapidly evolving field of AI. He highlighted that the discussions at the summit had shaped AI safety talks and added new dimensions of innovation and inclusivity.

The summit also touched upon the need for regulatory frameworks to govern AI technologies, with ministers and officials from various countries discussing the establishment of state-backed AI safety institutes. While AI experts welcomed the progress made in regulating the technology, they emphasized the importance of enforcing rules to protect the public from potential harm.

Francine Bennett, Director at the AI-focused Ada Lovelace Institute, advocated for setting rules via governments rather than relying on voluntary agreements. Max Tegmark, President of the Future of Life Institute, urged companies to ensure that AI services meet mandatory safety standards before entering the market.

Minister Lee acknowledged that laws often lag behind technological advancements like AI but emphasized the need for flexible regulations to ensure safe usage for the public. The summit concluded with a forward-looking approach, paving the way for future collaboration on AI safety institutes at the next global AI summit.

The inaugural global AI summit was held in Britain, with the next in-person gathering scheduled to take place in France in 2025. The discussions and agreements arising from these summits are crucial in shaping the future of AI development and fostering international cooperation in this groundbreaking field.

(Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Ed Davies)