As the UK gears up to host the first-ever international summit on AI safety, the government has adopted the approach of appointing external AI expertise from industry and academia to bolster internal AI capabilities. We anticipate this approach to be replicated across the globe as governments realise the need for AI specialists within government to help navigate the incremental opportunities and risks presented by the rapidly developing technology. Spearheading coordination of the summit will be Matt Clifford, CEO of Entrepreneur First and Chair of the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, and Jonathan Black, Heywood Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government. Acting as the Prime Minister’s representatives, they are charged with ensuring that the summit yields a shared approach to mitigating the potential risks posed by AI technologies. Matt Clifford, in particular, stands out as a private sector representative uniquely positioned to play a diplomatic role in shaping the future of AI.
The vision behind the AI Safety Summit is to collectively address the challenges posed by AI’s frontier systems. It will facilitate crucial discussions on the risks associated with emerging AI technologies and explore avenues for international collaboration to mitigate these risks. The UK’s role in convening this global event is fitting, given its status as a world leader in AI, standing third globally in AI development behind the United States and China. The Summit will bring together leaders from around the world, as well as top tech companies and academic experts.
Access Partnership is closely monitoring AI-related developments both in the UK and across the globe. If you would like to understand more about UK’s position on AI and the upcoming AI Safety Summit in November, please contact Jessica Birch at jessica.birch@accesspartnership.com.
