Britain aims to label artificial intelligence as capable of ‘catastrophic harm’

British prime minister Rishi Sunak.

UK prime minister Rishi Sunak is pushing for nations to label artificial intelligence as capable of causing “catastrophic harm” at the AI Safety Summit the UK is hosting next month as it seeks to forge a common international approach on the rapidly advancing technology.

Britain wants countries to sign up to a joint position that outlines particular concerns for AI’s impact on cybersecurity and biotechnology, according to a draft communique circulated to attendees and seen by Bloomberg. Officials aim to hammer out final wording of the communique by October 25, a separate document showed.

“There is potential for significant, even catastrophic, harm, either deliberate or unintentional, stemming from the most dangerous capabilities of these AI models,” according to a draft, dated October 16.

The draft also highlights the “transformative opportunities” of AI, particularly in public services like health, education, science, and clean energy. This will form a prominent part of the summit, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The meeting at Bletchley Park, home to British code breakers including Alan Turing during World War II, is part of an initiative by Mr Sunak to position the UK at the vanguard of AI and help inform regulatory approaches and establish “guardrails” for the industry around the world. Some 100 people from 28 nations are expected to attend, including business executives, industry experts, and global leaders.

The document was still subject to change, although Mr Sunak’s administration is close to producing a final version, said the person, who asked not to be named while discussing information that hasn’t yet been publicly released. Global leaders are also set to call for increased transparency by companies developing AI technologies.

 Bloomberg