G7 Summit

G7 Leaders Agree on AI Regulation Framework

Pool Photo via AP
Clockwise from left, U.S. President Joe Biden, Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Council Charles Michel, Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attend a meeting during the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Hiroshima on Friday.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:41 JST, May 19, 2023 (updated at 20:30 JST)

HIROSHIMA — G7 leaders agreed on an initiative aimed at formulating international rules on artificial intelligence at a summit session in Hiroshima on Friday afternoon.

As nations grapple with issues arising from artificial intelligence technology, such as copyright infringement and the spread of disinformation, an urgent need for AI rules has emerged.

The leaders agreed on a Japanese government proposal for a framework to promote cabinet-level dialogue on artificial intelligence rules. Dubbed the Hiroshima AI Process, the initiative is aimed at consolidating opinions on technology rules among G7 nations.

G7 leaders also discussed AI’s potential and risks, eyeing conversational models such as ChatGPT, a service that has surged in popularity recently but has raised major concerns about the risk of copyright infringement.

AI regulations vary significantly among G7 members. The European Union’s parliament has approved regulation proposals and is likely to draft rules this year, at the earliest.

Last year, the United States compiled guidelines for AI use and development due to concerns about privacy violations. Meanwhile, discussions in Japan have focused mostly on how AI can be utilized.