 "The US has been some imposing some tough sanctions on China. It will be interesting to see how that effects their discussion on AI. Image Credit: Reuters")
The United States is finally gearing up for diplomatic discussions with the Chinese government in Geneva this week, marking the start of a series of talks focused on artificial intelligence safety and risk standards.
The fact that both nations, hostile to each other, are ready to engage in diplomatic discussions is significant since both of them are locked in fierce competition to lead the global AI market, both in the private sector as well as their respective governments.
However, despite their technological prowess, they have yet to reach a consensus on what constitutes safe and responsible use of the AI technologies they are developing.
Set to take place in Geneva, Switzerland on Tuesday, the talks will be led by officials from the White House and State Department for the US, while China will be represented by delegates co-led by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the National Development and Reform Commission.
The discussions will primarily centre around AI risk and safety, and will particularly focus on advanced systems. Additionally, representatives from both sides plan to share insights into the domestic efforts undertaken in their respective countries to mitigate AI-related risks.
It’s important to note that while these talks mark an important step in fostering dialogue between the two countries, they are primarily intended to exchange initial thoughts on the technical risks posed by AI technologies.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAs such, no joint statement or other “deliverables” are expected to emerge from the discussions at this stage.
The talks are not expected to result in any technical collaboration or cooperation on frontier research. The US government’s policies to restrict certain technologies from reaching China are also not up for negotiation, at least not formally.
It will be interesting to see how the two discuss Issues such as how AI can further fuel China-linked election interference. Another possible point for discussion would be the US-imposed sanction, and the US cajoling other nations to impose similar sanctions on Chinese Companies. Although both of these subjects are not officially on the agenda, they are more than likely to come up.
If data and data sovereignty come up as an issue, the US and Chinese delegates may even be forced to speak on the TikTok and ByteDance fiasco.
In a significant development, the UN secured China as a co-sponsor for a recent AI resolution in the UN General Assembly in March.
Furthermore, reports suggest that the UN is considering imposing restrictions on China, Russia, and other adversarial nations’ access to the most advanced AI models.
Looking at the bigger picture, the safety standards adopted by both the UN and China are likely to set a precedent for other countries worldwide. As both governments delve into deploying AI technologies across various sectors, including their militaries, their approaches will undoubtedly influence global AI policies and practices.
(With inputs from agencies)