· Consensus Statement on AI Safety as a Global Public Good
Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) systems’ capabilities are pushing humanity closer to a world where AI meets and surpasses human intelligence. Experts agree these AI systems are likely to be developed in the coming decades, with many of them believing they will arrive imminently. Loss of human control or malicious use of these AI systems could lead to catastrophic outcomes for all of humanity. Unfortunately, we have not yet developed the necessary science to control and safeguard the use of such advanced intelligence. The global nature of these risks from AI makes it necessary to recognize AI safety as a global public good, and work towards global governance of these risks. Collectively, we must prepare to avert the attendant catastrophic risks that could arrive at any time.
Promising initial steps by the international community show cooperation on AI safety and governance is achievable despite geopolitical tensions. States and AI developers around the world committed to foundational principles to foster responsible development of AI and minimize risks at two intergovernmental summits. Thanks to these summits, states established AI Safety Institutes or similar institutions to advance testing, research and standards setting.
These efforts are laudable and must continue. States must sufficiently resource AI Safety Institutes, continue to convene summits and support other global governance efforts. However, states must go further than they do today. As an initial step, states should develop authorities to detect and respond to AI incidents and catastrophic risks within their jurisdictions. These domestic authorities should coordinate to develop a global contingency plan to respond to severe AI incidents and catastrophic risks. In the longer term, states should develop an international governance regime to prevent the development of models that could pose global catastrophic risks.
Deep and foundational research needs to be conducted to guarantee the safety of advanced AI systems. This work must begin swiftly to ensure they are developed and validated prior to the advent of advanced AIs. To enable this, we call on states to carve out AI safety as a cooperative area of academic and technical activity, distinct from broader geostrategic competition on development of AI capabilities.
The international community should consider setting up three clear processes to prepare for a world where advanced AI systems pose catastrophic risks:
Published by IDAIS (International Dialogues on AI Safety) in IDAIS-Venice, Sept 5, 2024