U.S., UK, and EU Tackle AI Challenges

The past week witnessed significant developments in AI policy, as the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union confronted the rapid advancement of the technology and its wide-ranging implications. President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed AI in a call aimed at re-establishing regular leader-to-leader dialogue, highlighting the global importance of this emerging technology, as reported by the Associated Press.

The U.S. and UK announced a partnership on the science of AI safety, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop tests for the most advanced AI models. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and UK Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan emphasized the need for a shared approach to AI safety that can keep pace with the technology's emerging risks. The partnership will see both countries working to align their scientific approaches and collaborate on research, safety evaluations, and guidance for AI safety.

Meanwhile, five new federal agencies joined the Justice Department in pledging to enforce civil rights laws in AI, following President Biden's Executive Order on safe and trustworthy AI. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke stressed the government's commitment to holding accountable entities that fail to address unfair and discriminatory outcomes resulting from AI.

The U.S. and EU held the sixth ministerial meeting of the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) in Leuven, Belgium, focusing on establishing joint leadership in AI and other emerging technologies. The joint statement underscored the need for a risk-based approach to AI and the importance of transparency and risk mitigation in ensuring safe, secure, and trustworthy AI technologies.

However, concerns remain over the EU's AI Act. An analysis by European Digital Rights (EDRi) and AI coalition partners suggests that the final law falls short in protecting fundamental human rights, highlighting missed opportunities in areas such as accessibility, transparency, accountability, and redress, as well as loopholes that could allow for harmful surveillance by authorities.

The rapid advancement of AI has also raised concerns among artists and creators. Over 200 artists, including Billie Eilish and Nicki Minaj, signed an open letter by the Artist Rights Alliance, denouncing irresponsible AI training as an "assault on human creativity." The letter urged tech companies and developers to cease using AI in ways that infringe upon and devalue the rights of human artists.

A New York Times investigation also revealed that tech giants like OpenAI, Google, and Meta have been pushing the boundaries of data collection for AI training, sometimes skirting copyright law and ignoring corporate policies. As the demand for training data grows, the ethical and legal implications of these practices are coming under increasing scrutiny.