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WASHINGTON, D.C.: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) announced a world-first summit on artificial intelligence (AI), seeking a leading role for the United Kingdom in limiting potential doomsday risks as he visited Washington.
Sunak will meet President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday for talks during which he will also voice unstinting support for Ukraine as the young Conservative leader wages an often uphill battle to show the UK’s post-Brexit relevance.
SUMMIT British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak talks to media during his visit to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, June 7, 2023. AP PHOTO
“AI has an incredible potential to transform our lives for the better. But we need to make sure it is developed and used in a way that is safe and secure,” Sunak said.
“Time and time again throughout history, we have invented paradigm-shifting new technologies, and we have harnessed them for the good of humanity. That is what we must do again,” he added.
The Group of Seven called for action on AI during a summit in Japan last month.
But the United States also held talks last week on an AI code of conduct with the European Union. Sunak is pitching for a future global AI regulator to be based in London.
“The UK is well-placed to play a leadership role. Outside of the US, we are probably the leading AI nation among democratic countries. We have an ability to get regulation right to protect our citizens,” Sunak told TalkTV.
Keeping hopes on business
A day before meeting Biden, Sunak met Washington’s top Republican, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who lauded the long-standing alliance.
“When our bond is stronger, the world is safer and democracy grows,” McCarthy said.
Despite broad US support for Britain, Sunak has all but given up on a post-Brexit trade deal from the Biden administration, which has shown limited enthusiasm.
He pointed to the US-UK military alliance as he made a case for the economic relationship.
“Just as interoperability between our militaries has given us a battlefield advantage over our adversaries, greater economic interoperability will give us a crucial edge in the decades ahead,” said Sunak, a wealthy former banker who studied in the United States and retains a property in California.
The prime minister is pushing for US relief to UK carmakers, via greater access to critical minerals used in batteries, after Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act offered vast subsidies to companies with US operations.
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