top of page

Uniting Minds, Shaping the Future: AN Explanation of the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) Summit

Updated: Dec 17, 2023


Picture credit: THEFUTURESOCIETY.ORG

The 2023 GPAI Summit took place in New Delhi, India, on 12-14 December 2023. The event brought together engaged minds and expertise from science, industry, civil society, governments, international organisations and academia to foster international cooperation on AI-related priorities. The Summit offered an opportunity for GPAI Working Groups to showcase the recent developments of their work around four themes: responsible AI, data governance, future of work and innovation and commercialization.

The Summit also marked a key moment for the 29 GPAI Members to meet and chart an ambitious course for the year ahead. They reaffirmed their commitment to promote responsible and trustworthy AI through GPAI, and their dedication to implementing those values through the development of regulations, policies, standards and other initiatives within their jurisdictions.


The Birth of GPAI:

The GPAI, a collaborative initiative established in 2020, brings together governments, industry leaders, academia, and civil society to address global challenges related to AI. Its mission is to promote the responsible and human-centric development and use of AI, ensuring that it benefits all of humanity.


Key Objectives of GPAI:


  1. Ethics and Values: GPAI emphasizes the importance of ethical AI development, with a focus on human rights, inclusivity, and transparency. The summit discussed strategies to embed ethical considerations into AI systems, fostering a global consensus on the values that should guide AI development.

  2. Data Governance: Recognizing the pivotal role of data in AI, the summit explored approaches to responsible data governance. This includes issues related to privacy, data security, and the responsible sharing of data across borders while respecting legal and cultural contexts.

  3. Innovation and Commercialization: To foster innovation, GPAI aims to facilitate the exchange of best practices and knowledge among its member countries. The summit provided a platform for discussions on how to strike a balance between encouraging AI innovation and preventing the misuse of technology.

  4. Access and Inclusion: Ensuring that the benefits of AI are accessible to all, regardless of geographical location or socio-economic status, is a key goal of GPAI. The summit addressed strategies to bridge the digital divide and promote AI inclusivity on a global scale.


Summit Highlights:


  1. Multilateral Cooperation: The GPAI Summit witnessed active participation from member countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, and others. The commitment to multilateral cooperation was evident, with discussions revolving around how nations can collaborate to address common AI challenges.

  2. Stakeholder Engagement: Beyond governmental representation, the summit featured a diverse array of stakeholders. Industry leaders, academic experts, and representatives from civil society organizations contributed their perspectives, enriching the discussions with a holistic view of AI's impact on society.

  3. Showcasing Best Practices: Member countries shared insights into their respective AI policies and initiatives, highlighting best practices that can be adopted globally. This exchange of knowledge fosters a collaborative spirit and accelerates the development of responsible AI frameworks.

  4. Public-Private Partnerships: Recognizing the integral role of the private sector in AI development, the summit explored opportunities for public-private partnerships. This collaboration is crucial for leveraging resources, expertise, and innovation to address AI challenges effectively.


2023 Ministerial Declaration


1. We, Ministers of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI), convening in New Delhi on 13th December, 2023:


2. Reiterate our unwavering commitment, since the GPAI Council Meeting in Japan last year, to the principles for responsible stewardship of trustworthy AI and values reflected in the OECD Recommendation on AI, as noted in GPAI’s Terms of Reference, rooted in democratic values and human rights, safeguarding dignity and well-being, ensuring personal data protection, protection of applicable intellectual property rights, privacy, and security, fostering innovation, and promoting, trustworthy, responsible, sustainable and human-centred use of AI.


3. We further affirm our commitment to continue to work within our respective jurisdictions to advance safe, secure, and trustworthy AI, including, as appropriate, through the development of relevant regulations, policies, standards, and other initiatives.


4. We acknowledge the noteworthy progress and achievements under the leadership of Japan as the 2023 Lead Chair with India as the Incoming Support Chair and France as the Outgoing Support Chair. This includes significant efforts related to the strengthening of GPAI as a diverse and inclusive multistakeholder initiative.


5. We applaud the contributions of the Multistakeholder Experts Group (MEG) towards the GPAI projects. We affirm our commitment to supporting the sustainability of GPAI projects by undertaking the adoption of relevant projects, in line with country-specific contexts and priorities as well as the shared interests and priorities of the GPAI community.


6. We recognise the rapid pace of improvement in advanced AI systems and their potential to generate economic growth, innovation, and jobs across various sectors as well as to benefit societies. We acknowledge the need to harness new opportunities and mitigate the risks arising from the development, deployment, and use of such technologies. This includes concerns around misinformation and disinformation, unemployment, lack of transparency and fairness, protection of intellectual property and personal data, and threats to human rights and democratic values. We further acknowledge the need for equitable access to resources, which must be considered, accounted for, or addressed in order for societies to benefit from and build competitive AI solutions. We underscore GPAI’s pivotal role in addressing contemporary AI issues, including generative AI, through applied AI projects aimed at addressing societal problems and global challenges, maximising the benefits and mitigating associated risks.


7. We support the intention of India, as Lead Chair for 2024, in its endeavour to promote collaborative AI for global partnership among GPAI Members by supporting projects aimed at promoting equitable access to critical resources for AI research and innovation, such as AI computing, high-quality diverse datasets, algorithms, software, testbeds, and other AI-relevant resources in compliance with applicable intellectual property protections and data protection legislations. We reaffirm the importance of fostering equitable AI ecosystems that ensure diverse, inclusive and multistakeholder engagement, including from underrepresented groups and communities facing vulnerabilities towards the responsible design, development, deployment, and sustainable use of trustworthy AI


Conclusion:

The GPAI Summit serves as a beacon of hope in the complex landscape of AI development. By fostering international collaboration, promoting ethical principles, and addressing the global implications of AI, GPAI paves the way for a future where artificial intelligence is harnessed responsibly for the benefit of humanity. As the summit concludes, the momentum gained must be translated into concrete actions, as the global community continues its journey towards a future where AI is a force for good.



Source: GPAI

Note for UPSC Aspirants: For UPSC aspirants interested in exploring further, here are some keywords to guide your research: Ethics , Data Governance, Innovation and Commercialization, Access and Inclusion,Multilateral Cooperation, Stakeholder Engagement,

Comments


bottom of page