GENEVA — On Tuesday, high-ranking envoys from China and the United States will gather in Geneva to discuss artificial intelligence, including its potential hazards and methods for establishing common guidelines for its management.
The gathering, dubbed a “opening exchange of views,” is the first under an intergovernmental dialogue on artificial intelligence that was decided upon during a multifaceted meeting in November in San Francisco between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden.
According to representatives of the Biden administration, they intend to concentrate on the development of safe, secure, and reliable AI. Both the United States and China view AI as essential for both economic growth and national security. During a phone call with reporters to preview the meeting, the officials insisted on remaining anonymous.
Additionally, they said that the United States would disclose how it was tackling potential risks associated with the technology, including requiring safety testing of AI products and forging voluntary agreements with the industry’s top players.
The American government has been fighting to keep ahead of Beijing in the application of AI in weaponry systems because it believes that China’s AI efforts could jeopardize the security of the country and its allies.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was cited by China’s official Xinhua news agency as saying that the two sides would discuss global governance and the technological risks associated with artificial intelligence.
Sam Bresnick, a research fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, stated that although China has been “reluctant” to discuss the risks associated with AI with the U.S., both countries are making significant investments in the technology for both military and civilian purposes.
According to Bresnick, who specializes in AI applications and Chinese technology policy, “these meetings present an opportunity for U.S. officials to get a better sense of China’s approach to defining and mitigating AI risks,” in an email.
He downplayed the likelihood of legally binding agreements to reduce the risks associated with AI, but he did say that the discussions “may help the two sides build trust” and understanding around AI-related matters.
Tarun Chhabra, senior director for technology and national security and presidential adviser, and Seth Center, acting special envoy for critical and emerging technology for the U.S. State Department, are leading the U.S. team, according to the White House’s National Security Council.
The meeting highlights the global race on the part of governments to figure out how to control artificial intelligence, even as the technology develops quickly and has the potential to drastically alter a number of facets of daily life, including copyright and privacy, the workplace, and education.
Next week, government leaders from several nations are anticipated to gather in Seoul for the second round of discussions on the security of advanced AI models. The first round took place at a former British codebreaking facility during the war.
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