US Vice-President Warns Europe Not to Adopt "Overly Precautionary" AI Regulations
US and UK Refuse to Sign AI Declaration
US Vice-President JD Vance has warned Europe not to adopt "overly precautionary" regulations on artificial intelligence (AI) as the US and the UK refused to join dozens of other countries in signing a declaration to ensure that the technology is "safe, secure and trustworthy".
The Summit Declaration
The summit declaration calls for "ensuring AI is open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy, taking into account international frameworks for all". While the commitments are non-binding, both the US and UK had signed similar declarations at previous iterations of the AI summit.
Reasons for Non-Signature
One person close to the British government suggested the wording was "too restrictive". The harder US stance comes as competition is heating up with China on developments around AI: chip manufacturing, so-called foundational models and AI chatbots, and the energy needed to power supercomputers.
Europe’s AI Efforts
Europe is seeking a foothold in the AI industry to avoid becoming too reliant on the US or China. At the two-day summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, European leaders and companies unveiled about €200bn of planned investments in data centres and computing clusters to underpin the region’s AI efforts.
Vance’s Speech
On Tuesday, Vance told the assembled leaders the US would not relinquish its lead in AI, while also warning countries not to sign AI deals with "authoritarian regimes", in a thinly veiled jab against China. "Partnering with them means chaining your nation to an authoritarian master that seeks to infiltrate, dig in and seize your information infrastructure," Vance said, referring to CCTV and 5G as previous examples where "cheap tech… [was] heavily subsidised and exported by authoritarian regimes".
Conclusion
The US and UK’s refusal to sign the AI declaration has raised concerns about the potential risks of AI development and the need for international cooperation to ensure the technology is used responsibly. The competition between the US, China, and Europe in the AI industry is expected to continue, with each side seeking to gain a foothold in the market.
FAQs
Q: Why did the US and UK refuse to sign the AI declaration?
A: The US and UK refused to sign the declaration due to concerns that the wording was "too restrictive" and because they did not agree on the terminology around multilateralism and international collaboration.
Q: What are the concerns about AI development?
A: The concerns about AI development include the potential risks of AI being used to manipulate and control people, as well as the potential for AI to be used for malicious purposes.
Q: What is the competition like in the AI industry?
A: The competition in the AI industry is intense, with the US, China, and Europe all seeking to gain a foothold in the market. The competition is driven by the need for countries to develop their own AI capabilities and to stay ahead of their rivals.
Q: What is the significance of the summit declaration?
A: The summit declaration is significant because it represents a commitment by countries to work together to ensure that AI is developed and used responsibly. The declaration is non-binding, but it is seen as an important step towards building international cooperation on AI issues.
