G7 holds ministerial-level conference on industry and technology

Today, Italy begins a series of ministerial meetings on industry and technology. The focus of the discussions is expected to be on building resilient digital infrastructures and addressing the safe use of advanced technologies.

Since the emergence of high-precision artificial intelligence models, the international community has been seriously concerned about AI’s secure development and use. In 2023, the G7 and 21 other countries signed the Bletchley Declaration, which aimed at mitigating risks in biotechnology and cybersecurity, as well as strengthening data protection in the public sphere.

During Italy’s presidency of the G7, it is likely to use the model of the 2023 AI Safety Summit to take the lead in creating a platform for discussions on AI regulation. Building off the Bletchley Declaration, today’s meeting may focus on specific steps to provide the desired level of transparency and accountability in the AI industry. One way this may be accomplished is through the development of the International Code of Conduct for Organizations Developing Advanced AI Systems. However, despite existing consensus among G7 countries on such regulation, they will likely face disagreements on the formulation and implementation of policies and compliance monitoring. Furthermore, in the long term, the G7 will need to build appropriate enforcement mechanisms for regulations, an often long and difficult process.