Executive orders, international agreements and resolutions seeking to regulate artificial intelligence have made significant strides this year, but regulatory gaps remain and “AI safe havens” could undermine global progress, a Washington research conference has warned.
“AI governance is not a challenge any nation can tackle alone,” Shigeo Yamada, Japan's ambassador to the US, said during his speech at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies' International AI Policy Outlook conference. “Regulatory gaps in one country could allow unregulated AI development in another, creating what we call AI safe havens.
“We must acknowledge that so far we have not been able to fully engage countries with different positions, including authoritarian states, in these multilateral efforts.”
Mr Yamada didn't specify any countries during his speech, but said such safe havens could allow for negative AI scenarios to come to fruition, blunting economic and societal positives.
“Risks include national security vulnerabilities, cybersecurity threats, privacy violations, the potential misuse of intellectual property,” he said at the at the Wadhwani AI centre conference.
Japan has sought to take a lead in enhancing international AI collaboration as the technology quickly developed.
During the 49th G7 Summit in Japan, the Hiroshima AI Process initiative was announced with hopes of providing a comprehensive framework to responsibly pursue advancements, while at the same time curtailing potential problems.
That initiative eventually led to the creation of the Hiroshima AI Process Friends Group, which now has 54 member countries.
According to a code of conduct provided by the group, organisations in the field of AI are encouraged to follow various actions throughout the course of AI development.
“In designing and implementing testing measures, organisations commit to devote attention to the following risks as appropriate,” the code of conduct reads.
“Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear risks, such as the ways in which advanced AI systems can lower barriers to entry, including for non-state actors, for weapons development, design acquisition, or use … Risks from [AI] models of making copies of themselves or 'self-replicating' or training other models.”
The code of conduct, according to the group, is updated periodically amid meetings and consultations with member countries and other organisations.
Jennifer Bachus, the principal deputy assistant secretary for the bureau of cyberspace and digital policy at the US State Department, agreed with Mr Yamada.
“Technology diplomacy is increasingly foundational to everything we do in the world,” she said, while also acknowledging the need to avoid becoming numb to the growing chorus of those warning about AI falling into nefarious hands.
“Saying that there's no risk to AI also dumbs down the situation for developing countries.
“They absolutely think there's a risk, and they want to know how to create a situation where they can also have the economic benefits without having national security risk.”
Most speakers at the event also addressed the problem of AI increasing energy demand to power data centres required by the burgeoning technology.
Mr Yamada said that he hoped photon-electron fusion, which replaces electric-based processing with energy efficient light-based processing, would help to alleviate the AI energy crunch.
“We need to improve the energy efficiency of AI itself,” he said. “Now there's an effort to expand light-based processing to include computing chips and peripheral components.”
Sara Cohen, Canada's deputy head of mission, also spoke about the energy concerns.
“AI has a voracious appetite for energy,” she said. “From Canada's perspective it is imperative that we ensure the mainstreaming of AI in governments and workforces does not undermine our progress towards shared climate goals.”
In recent years, while acknowledging AI's increased energy consumption, some researchers and proponents have also pointed to the potential efficiencies created by the technology that could help the climate, although it remains to be seen if that potential can turn into reality.
The return of president-elect Donald Trump could also impact how the world co-operates with AI development and regulations. Mr Trump has promised to repeal President Joe Biden's executive order on AI development.
The Republican Party's 2024 convention platform, largely influenced by the Trump campaign, described the executive order as “dangerous”.
Several speakers at the CSIS event said the future of global AI co-operation and regulation would be more clearer when France hosts an AI action summit in February, shortly after Mr Trump takes office.
“I think it will be very interesting as to how that goes,” said Ms Bachus.
“I think hopefully by that time we'll have a good sense where the Trump administration will be going on AI, what's it's imprimatur and how they're doing it, I can't predict because it's a new administration, it might work out really well or it might be really challenging.”
The private sector also took part in the conference, with Aalok Mehta, Google’s responsible AI policy director, taking part in a panel discussion about AI codes of conduct with Wendy Collins, NTT Data’s chief AI officer.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on Quran memorisation:
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GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec
Top speed: 232kph
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
Price: From Dh259,900
UAE squad
Men's draw: Victor Scvortov and Khalifa Al Hosani, (both 73 kilograms), Sergiu Toma and Mihail Marchitan (90kg), Ivan Remarenco (100kg), Ahmed Al Naqbi (60kg), Musabah Al Shamsi and Ahmed Al Hosani (66kg)
Women’s draw: Maitha Al Neyadi (57kg)
RESULTS
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,000m
Winner: AF Mozhell, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Majdi, Szczepan Mazur, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Athabeh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Eshaar, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi
4pm: Gulf Cup presented by Longines Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Al Roba’a Al Khali, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Younis Al Kalbani
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Apolo Kid, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muahiri
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RESULTS
6.30pm UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) US$100,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Final Song, Christophe Soumillon (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).
7.05pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (Turf) 1,000m
Winner Almanaara, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
7.40pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner Grand Argentier, Brett Doyle, Doug Watson.
8.15pm Meydan Challenge Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Major Partnership, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
8.50pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m
Winner Universal Order, Richard Mullen, David Simcock.
'Will%20of%20the%20People'
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Honeymoonish
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Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Mubadala World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule
Thursday December 27
Men's quarter-finals
Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm
Dominic Thiem v Karen Khachanov 6pm
Women's exhibition
Serena Williams v Venus Williams 8pm
Friday December 28
5th place play-off 3pm
Men's semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Anderson/Chung 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Thiem/Khachanov 7pm
Saturday December 29
3rd place play-off 5pm
Men's final 7pm
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
