Seoul to host second global AI safety summit

London, April 13 (Agency) The second global artificial intelligence (AI) safety summit will take place in Seoul May 21–22, with South Korea and the United Kingdom “forging ahead with plans,” the UK government said on Friday. “The UK and the Republic of Korea are forging ahead with plans for the next wave of global discussions on the safe development of artificial intelligence, with the AI Seoul Summit set for May 21 and 22,” the government said in a statement.The summit is expected to gather international governments, AI companies, academia, and civil society, the statement read. “The summit will spearhead discussions on AI safety, addressing the potential capabilities of the most advanced AI models, building on the Bletchley Declaration and wider agreements that were reached at the AI Safety Summit in the UK last November, which included commitments from developers on AI safety,” the UK government added.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol will take part in the summit, the statement read. In conjunction with the summit, South Korea intends to hold its own AI forum on May 22, Yoon’s office said. “On the occasion of this summit, our government is planning to host the ‘AI Global Forum’ on May 22 by inviting high-ranking officials from different countries, major companies, and scientists,” the presidential office said in a statement. Seoul expects the global forum to become a common platform where specific directions will be developed for establishing a new system of AI global governance, the statement read. The first summit was held at Bletchley Park in England in November 2023. The event brought together government representatives from different countries, leading AI companies, and experts. On the first day of the summit, the participants signed the Bletchley Declaration, aimed at building a global approach to ensuring safe and responsible AI.