Korea Leads Global AI Norm Discussions... Hosts AI Safety Summit

Minister Lee Jong-ho of the Ministry of Science and ICT attended the 'AI Safety Summit' at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno, Seoul on the 7th and is briefing on the outcomes. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

The government will co-host the next Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety Summit with the United Kingdom and take a leading role in global AI norm discussions.

On the afternoon of the 7th, Lee Jong-ho, Minister of Science and ICT, held a briefing at the Government Seoul Office to announce the outcomes of attending the 'AI Safety Summit,' stating, "As a co-host country, we will do our utmost to become the center of international discussions on AI norms."

The AI Safety Summit was first held on the 1st and 2nd of this month at Bletchley Park in the UK. It was attended by 28 countries worldwide, major digital companies, and scholars. Korea decided to co-host a 'mini summit' with the UK six months after the first summit to review follow-up measures and discuss the agenda for the second summit, which will be held in France one year later. The mini summit will be conducted via video conference.

Minister Lee said, "I feel a heavy responsibility that the next summit, where leading figures in global AI discussions gather, will be led by the Republic of Korea," adding, "As the main ministry responsible for AI policy, the Ministry of Science and ICT will work closely with related ministries such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure thorough preparation for the successful hosting of the mini summit to be held in six months."

He continued, "In particular, we will conduct in-depth reviews of new agendas raised at this (first) summit, such as establishing an AI safety testing framework and creating an AI safety research institute, and develop policies through sufficient consultations with the private sector."

During this summit, there was a flood of meeting requests from many countries, and it is reported that various countries asked Korea, as the next chair nation, to actively discover additional agendas.

In response, Minister Lee emphasized the need to develop low-power, low-energy AI semiconductors to address the massive power consumption and carbon emissions of AI. He also reviewed AI governance trends in major countries such as the United States, the UK, and the European Union (EU), and introduced policies such as the digital bill of rights to the international community.

During the summit, Minister Lee held bilateral meetings not only with major countries including the EU, the UK, Australia, Singapore, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Saudi Arabia but also with organizations such as the United Nations and the Alan Turing Institute.