Sweden and 60 other countries have signed an AI declaration for inclusive, sustainable and open AI. However, the United States and the United Kingdom have chosen to opt out – a decision that has provoked strong reactions.
The AI Declaration was developed in conjunction with the International AI Summit in Paris earlier this week, and its aim is to promote inclusive and sustainable AI in line with the Paris Agreement. It also emphasizes the importance of an “ethical” approach where technology should be “transparent”, “safe” and “trustworthy”.
The declaration also notes AI’s energy use, something not previously discussed. Experts have previously warned that in the future AI could consume as much energy as smaller countries.
Countries such as China, India and Mexico have signed the agreement. Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway have also signed. The United States and the United Kingdom are two of the countries that have chosen not to sign the agreement, reports the British state broadcaster BBC.
“Global governance”
The UK government justifies its decision with concerns about national security and “global governance”. US Vice President JD Vance has also previously said that too much regulation of AI could “kill a transformative industry just as it’s taking off”. At the meeting, Vance stressed that AI was “an opportunity that the Trump administration will not squander” and said that “pro-growth AI policies” should be prioritized over security.
French President Emmanuel Macron, for his part, defended the need for further regulation.
