A new paper into the capabilities and risks from frontier AI has been published for the first time by the UK Government as the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to give a speech on the global responsibility to address the risks head on and make the most of the opportunities AI can bring.
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There are a range of views in the scientific, expert and global communities about the risks in relation to the rapid progress in frontier AI, which is expected to continue to evolve in the coming years at rapid speed.
The report draws on various sources including UK intelligence assessments.
One of the key objectives of the AI Safety Summit is to come to a shared understanding on the emerging risks, which can then inform how nations manage them. It also highlights the need for countries around the world to understand the pitfalls presented by frontier AI to unlock its enormous benefits.
The report is made up of three parts:
Capabilities and risks from frontier AI: A discussion paper on the need for further research into AI risk. It covers the current state of frontier AI capabilities, how these might improve in the future, as well as the risks they currently present, including societal harms, misuse and loss of control.
Safety and Security Risks of Generative Artificial Intelligence to 2025: A report drawing on sources including intelligence assessments, which states that generative AI development has the potential to bring significant global benefits but will also increase risks to safety and security by enhancing threat actor capabilities and increasing the effectiveness of attacks.
Future Risks of Frontier AI: A report from the Government Office for Science, which considers key uncertainties in frontier AI development, the risks future systems might pose, and a range of potential scenarios for AI out to 2030.
The Summit will focus on risks at the frontier of AI around the misuse of AI by non-state actors to perform harms like cyber-attacks or to design bioweapons, as well as risks around the loss of control of AI, where systems may act autonomously in a way that does not align with our intentions or values.
Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said:
“This marks a watershed moment, as the UK becomes the first country in the world to formally summarise the risks presented by this powerful technology.
“There is no question that AI can and will transform the world for the better, from making everyday tasks easier, to improving healthcare and tackling global challenges like world hunger and climate change. But we cannot harness its benefits without also tackling the risks.
“No country can do this alone, which is why we will be welcoming governments, academics, civil society groups and businesses to Bletchley Park next month to build a shared understanding of the risks while discussing how we can develop and use AI safely and responsibly so that it changes lives for the better.†■