UPDATED: AI Safety: UK, Nigeria, US, others sign world’s first MoU on tech deployment at UK Summit

*Countries, including the United Kingdom, United States, Nigeria, China, and other economies have agreed on the need for international action to collectively manage potential risks and ensure that AI is developed and deployed in a safe, responsible way for the benefit of the global digital ecosystem

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

In line with the industry stakeholders’ decision to further understand and collectively manage potential risks of Artificial Intelligence (AI) through a new joint global effort, some countries, including the United Kingdom (UK), Nigeria, United States (US) and China Wednesday, November 1, 2023, agreed on the “need for international action” at the world’s first summit on the emerging technology at Bletchley Park, north of London, in the UK.

ConsumerConnect learnt the political and technology leaders, including Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of X Corporation and SpaceX; US Vice-President Kamala Harris; and other leading lights in the global digital ecosystem, had gathered for summit on AI safety.

Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy      

The UK Government opened the two-day event by publishing the “Bletchley Declaration” signed by 28 countries and the European Union (EU).

The select countries particularly, agreed on “the urgent need to collectively manage potential risks to ensure that AI is developed and deployed in a safe, responsible way for the benefit of the global community”, agency report said.

British Prime Minister (PM) Rishi Sunak called the declaration a “landmark achievement” while King Charles III, in a video message to the summit, urged international collaboration to combat the “significant risks” of unchecked development of the new technology.

Sunak stated: “There is a clear imperative to ensure that this rapidly evolving technology remains safe and secure.”

Speaking on the development, UK Technology Minister Michelle Donelan told AFP that the declaration “really outlines for the first time the world coming together to identify this problem.

The announcement came shortly after the UK and United States had both that they were setting up their own institutes to assess and mitigate the risks of the fast-emerging technology.

On ‘Frontier AI’

The release of the latest models have offered a glimpse into the potential of so-called frontier AI, but have also prompted concerns around issues ranging from job losses to cyberattacks and the control that humans actually have over the new-fangled systems.

Described by the participants as “timely”, the conference at Bletchley Park, where top British codebreakers cracked Nazi Germany’s “Enigma” code, focuses on frontier AI.

Donelan also stated the event was a “historic moment in mankind’s history” after earlier announcing two further summits, in South Korea in six months’ time, and in France next year.

However, London has reportedly had to scale back its ambitions around ideas, such as launching a new regulatory body amid a perceived lack of enthusiasm.

Core objectives of UK summit

Donelan further accepted that the UK summit “isn’t designed to produce a blueprint for global legislation”, but was instead “designed to forge a path ahead,… so that we can get a better handle and understanding on the risk of frontier AI,” report said.

In regard to the array of participants in the summit, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was said to be one of the only world leaders attending the conference.

Nigeria committed to growth of AI for unprecedented opportunities: Dr. Tijani

In his keynpote speech presented at the global forum in London, Dr. Tijani, Nigerian Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, which was shared in a blog post via his verified social media handle late Thursday, November 2, he affirmed that Artificial Intelligence offers an unprecedented opportunity to appropriate knowledge more quickly and seamlessly in addressing some of our pressing socio-economic challenges.

He stated: “Our duty as policymakers is to ensure that our nation can participate and mainstream value creation from AI safely.”

In appreciating British PM Sunak, host of the AI Safety UK Summit, the Minister said: “It was an honour to speak at the AI Safety Summit 2023, in the UK … alongside other Ministers of ICT.

“I would also like to thank the UK Government for inviting us to be part of the UK AI for Development Programme which will support our efforts to improve AI research and inclusive datasets.

“The summit is a gathering of global stakeholders including governments, leading AI companies, experts in research and civil society groups.”

Tijani also stated: “As a nation of innovators and entrepreneurs, Nigeria must recognise the significance of Artificial Intelligence and the urgent need to explore and use it for the good of humanity.

“This partnership is a recognition of our commitment to the growth of AI in Nigeria as outlined in our Strategic Blueprint and evidenced by our initial launch of the National AI Research Scheme.”

UK Summit timely, says Elon Musk

Though technology giant Elon Musk and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of X Corporation and SpaceX, was already present on the first day, and would talk with UK PM Sunak Thursday, November 2.

Musk told the domestic Press Association news agency that the event was “timely”, report stated.

The X and SpaceX Chief said: “It’s one of the existential risks that we face and it is potentially the most pressing one if you look at the timescale and rate of advancement — the summit is timely, and I applaud the prime minister for holding it.”

We support AI that creates opportunities, advances equity: US VP Harris

While the potential of AI raises many hopes for the future, particularly for medicine, its development is seen as largely unchecked by leading economies.

But US Vice-President Harris urged, in a speech she delivered Wednesday, in London, said that “we seize this moment” and “work together to build a future where AI creates opportunity and advances equity” while protecting consumers’ rights.

Harris also will attend the summit Thursday, but lawyer and investigator Cori Crider, a campaigner for “fair” technology, warned that the event could be “a bit of a talking shop after all.

Crider told a San Francisco news conference “if he were serious about safety, Rishi Sunak needed to roll deep and bring all of the UK majors and regulators in tow and he hasn’t,”

Ahead of the meeting, the G7 powers agreed on Monday on a non-binding “code of conduct” for companies developing the most advanced AI systems.

In Rome, Ministers from Italy, Germany and France called for an “innovation-friendly approach” to regulating AI in Europe, as they urged more investment to challenge the United States and China.

China was also due to be present, but it was unclear at what level, report said.

News website Politico as well reported that London had invited President Xi Jinping to signify its eagerness for a senior representative at the forum.

The invitation has raised eyebrows amid heightened tensions between China and Western nations and accusations of technological espionage.

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