Australia signs international agreement on artificial intelligence

May 27, 2024

29 2 minutes read

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Australia has joined other technologically advanced countries in signing the Seoul Declaration and Seoul Ministerial Statement on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The European Union and 10 other countries have signed the Seoul Declaration, which calls for greater cooperation between countries on the development of artificial intelligence in the public interest.

The ministerial statement was signed by 27 countries; it is a non-binding agreement that AI development must be safety-led, with egalitarian principles at the heart of innovation.

With large language models (LLMs) particularly susceptible to human prejudices, the ministers agreed the public interest potential of AI needs to be put front a centre to prevent a dystopian future.

“We recognise the transformative benefits of AI for the public sector, including in areas such as administration, welfare, education and healthcare. These benefits include using AI efficiently and effectively through accessible digital services and automated procedures that enhance citizen experience in accessing public services,” they said.

“We recognise our increasing role in promoting credible external evaluations for frontier AI models or systems developed in our jurisdictions, where those models or systems could pose severe risks.

“We recognise the need to strengthen international cooperation in joint research and talent development, including with developing countries to enhance their capabilities in AI design, development and utilisation. We seek to ensure socio-cultural and linguistic diversity is reflected and promoted in the AI lifecycle of design, development, deployment, and use.”

The Seoul Declaration and ministerial statements explicitly build on the Bletchley Declaration on AI safety, which calls on countries to proactively approach AI improvements and safety.

Australia has been one of the world’s more forward-leaning countries on AI cooperation and safety. Earlier this month, the government joined the 47-member AI Process Friends Group, which expands the Hiroshima AI Process Comprehensive Policy Framework beyond the G7 to the wider Asia Pacific.

Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rodgers said AI was already being used to manipulate elections internationally.

“Countries as diverse as Pakistan, the United States, Indonesia and India have all demonstrated significant and widespread examples of deceptive AI content,” he said.

“The AEC does not possess the legislative tools or internal technical capabilities to deter, detect, or adequately deal with false AI-generated content concerning the election process.

“What we’re concerned about is AI that misleads citizens about the act of voting … the truth of political statements either need to be lodged somewhere else.”

Seoul Declaration Signatories