UK invites China to its global AI summit

LONDON — UK has invited China to its global artificial intelligence (AI) summit in November, with foreign minister James Cleverly saying the risks of the technology could not be contained if one of its leading players was absent.

"We cannot keep the UK public safe from the risks of AI if we exclude one of the leading nations in AI tech," Cleverly said in a statement on Tuesday (Sept 19).

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wants UK to become a global leader in AI regulation and the summit on Nov 1-2 will bring together governments, tech companies and academics to discuss the risks posed by the powerful new technology.

UK said the event would touch on topics such as how AI could undermine biosecurity as well as how the technology could be used for public good, for example in safer transport.

Cleverly, who last month became the most senior minister to visit China in five years, has argued for deeper engagement with Beijing, saying it would be a mistake to try to isolate the world's second largest economy and Chinese help was needed in areas such as climate change and economic instability.

"The UK's approach to China is to protect our institutions and infrastructure, align with partners and engage where it is in the UK's national interest," Cleverly said on Tuesday.

London is trying to improve ties with Beijing but there has been growing anxiety about Chinese activity in Britain in recent weeks after it was revealed that a parliamentary researcher was arrested in March on suspicion of spying for China.

The Chinese embassy in London was not immediately able to say if China would attend the AI summit.

Britain has appointed tech expert Matt Clifford and former senior diplomat Jonathan Black to lead preparations for the summit.

The Financial Times reported that government officials want a less "draconian" approach to regulating the technology, compared with the European Union's wide-sweeping AI Act.

Under the incoming EU legislation, organisations using AI systems deemed "high risk" will be expected to complete rigorous risk assessments, log their activities, and make sensitive internal data available to authorities upon request.

Clifford told Reuters last month that he hoped the UK summit would set the tone for future international debates on AI regulation.

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