US and UK Decline to Endorse AI Summit Statement

The United States and the United Kingdom chose not to sign the final declaration at a high-profile artificial intelligence (AI) summit hosted by France, which emphasized principles of inclusivity, openness, ethics, and safety in AI development. According to Reuters, at least 60 countries, including China, endorsed the statement, though the U.S. and U.K. refrained without immediate explanation.

The shifting global stance on AI was evident at the summit, with discussions moving from concerns about safety to geopolitical rivalry as nations race to cultivate the next dominant AI player. Per Reuters, U.S. delegate JD Vance, representing the Biden administration, reaffirmed America’s commitment to leading in AI and strongly criticized Europe’s regulatory approach, positioning it as overly restrictive.

“We believe that excessive regulation of the AI sector could kill a transformative industry,” Vance stated at the summit, per Reuters. He argued that AI must remain free from ideological constraints and warned against American AI being repurposed for what he termed “authoritarian censorship.”

Read more: Tech Titans and World Leaders Gather in Paris for AI Strategy Talks

Vance specifically criticized the European Union’s regulatory measures, including the Digital Services Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), asserting that they impose excessive compliance costs, particularly for smaller firms. He distinguished between legitimate online safety measures and what he described as government-imposed restrictions on free expression.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who spoke immediately after Vance, countered his stance by asserting that regulation is crucial for fostering public trust in AI. French President Emmanuel Macron echoed this sentiment, arguing that while bureaucracy should be reduced, regulatory frameworks remain necessary to prevent public backlash against AI advancements. “We need a trustworthy AI,” Macron stated at the summit.

According to Reuters, Vance left the event immediately after his speech, foregoing von der Leyen’s and Macron’s addresses, though he later met with both leaders privately. His early departure underscored the apparent divergence between U.S. policy and the European approach to AI governance.

China, which did sign the declaration, expressed willingness to collaborate on AI safety measures. Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing stated that China seeks to work with other nations to ensure AI security and to promote a “community with a shared future for mankind.”

A source close to the summit’s organizers suggested that the U.S. decision to abstain from signing the statement was expected, given its resistance to stringent regulation. Meanwhile, a British government source cited concerns over specific language in the declaration that the U.K. could not amend, noting that the approach taken at the Paris summit differed from that of Britain’s AI Safety Summit in 2023.

“Clearly from JD Vance’s speech, the U.S. policy has an unequivocal shift now,” Russell Wald, executive director at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, told Reuters. “Safety is not going to be the primary focus but instead it’s going to be accelerated innovation and the belief that the technology is an opportunity, and safety equals regulation, regulation equals losing that opportunity.”

Source: Reuters