Global AI tech companies agree to set of safety outcomes in ‘world first’

21 May 2024, 10:04

Person uses laptop
Cyber fraud. Picture: PA

Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta and Open AI are among the companies which have signed up to the Frontier AI Safety Commitments.

A “precedent for global standards on AI safety” has been established after 16 AI tech companies committed to a set of safety outcomes at a major summit, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said.

The development comes on the opening day of the AI Seoul Summit, with companies from the US, China, Europe and the Middle East agreeing to each publish safety frameworks on how they will measure risks of their frontier AI models, such as examining the risk of misuse of the technology by bad actors.

The frameworks will also outline when severe risks, unless adequately mitigated, would be “deemed intolerable” and what companies will do to ensure thresholds are not surpassed.

In the most extreme circumstances, the companies have also committed to “not develop or deploy a model or system at all” if mitigations cannot keep risks below the thresholds.

Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta and Open AI are among the companies which have signed up to the Frontier AI Safety Commitments.

Rishi Sunak speech at Policy Exchange – London
Rishi Sunak called the development a ‘world first’ (Carl Court/PA)

Mr Sunak said: “It’s a world first to have so many leading AI companies from so many different parts of the globe all agreeing to the same commitments on AI safety.

“These commitments ensure the world’s leading AI companies will provide transparency and accountability on their plans to develop safe AI.

“It sets a precedent for global standards on AI safety that will unlock the benefits of this transformative technology.”

The two-day summit follows the first such gathering at Bletchley Park, the home of the UK’s Second World War codebreakers, in November.

Mr Sunak added: “The UK’s Bletchley summit was a great success and together with the Republic of Korea we are continuing that success by delivering concrete progress at the AI Seoul Summit.”

Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan, who is in Seoul for the summit focused on AI safety, sustainability and resilience, said: “The true potential of AI will only be unleashed if we’re able to grip the risks.

“It is on all of us to make sure AI is developed safely and today’s agreement means we now have bolstered commitments from AI companies and better representation across the globe.”

By Press Association

More Technology News

See more More Technology News

The Apple logo in the window of an Apple store

Home Office orders Apple to let it access users’ encrypted files – report

Ellen Roome with her son Jools Sweeney

Bereaved families file US lawsuit against TikTok over access to children’s data

The OpenAI logo appears on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen with random binary data

OpenAI taking claims of data breach ‘seriously’

There are concerns over how technology is aiding the abuse of women (Alamy/PA)

Deepfake abuse crackdown a ‘really important blow in battle against misogyny’

The Football Manager 25 logo on a light purple background

Football Manager 25 cancelled after delays

Football Manager 25 has been cancelled after being hit by delays

Football Manager 25 cancelled after several delays

Carsten Jung, head of AI at the IPPR, warned that politics 'needs to catch up' with the implications of AI (PA)

AI could replace 70% of tasks in computer-based jobs, study says

General view of IMI headquarters at Lakeside, Birmingham Business Park, Birmingham.

Engineering group IMI latest UK firm to be hit by cyber attack

A person's hands on the keyboard of a laptop

PSNI exploring use of AI to analyse mobile phone evidence

A screenshot of the homepage of AI chatbot DeepSeek, showing a warning message about new users being unable to register for the app

DeepSeek reopens new user sign-ups despite ongoing security concerns

A Google logo on the screen of a mobile phone, in Londons

Google axes diversity hiring targets as it reviews DEI programmes

A person’s hand pressing keys of a laptop keyboard

UK to get new cyber attack severity rating system

People working at computers

Capital raised by tech start-ups under Government scheme doubles

Xbox Series X and S games consoles

Currys launches Xbox console repairs programme

Hands typing on a keyboard

Military to fast-track recruitment of ‘cyber warriors’ as online threat grows

Composer Max Richter

Human artists could disappear if copyright not protected from AI, MPs told