The UK and South Korea are set to co-host the AI Seoul Summit.

The UK and South Korea are scheduled to co-host the AI Seoul Summit on May 21st and 22nd, aiming to foster the safe development of AI technologies. This initiative builds on the cooperative efforts established by the Bletchley Declaration.

The summit will commence with a virtual leaders’ session co-chaired by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, followed by an in-person meeting among Digital Ministers, including UK Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan and Korean Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-Ho.

Reflecting on the foundational discussions at Bletchley Park in the UK, the summit will focus on AI safety, inclusion, and innovation. It seeks to ensure that AI advancements are beneficial and secure, reinforcing global governance on technological innovation. "The summit we held at Bletchley Park was a generational moment," said Donelan. "With continued international collaboration and a broad range of voices, we can develop a global approach to harness this generation-defining technology safely and responsibly."

Minister Lee Jong-Ho emphasized the importance of the Seoul Summit in advancing global cooperation on AI. "AI is progressing rapidly, and it's essential to establish global norms to utilize these innovations for the betterment of humanity," Lee stated. He expressed hopes that the summit will strengthen global cooperation on AI safety, innovation, and inclusion, and promote sustainable AI development.

The UK is also pushing innovation with initiatives like the Manchester Prize and the establishment of the AI Safety Institute, the first state-backed organization dedicated to AI safety. These efforts highlight the UK's commitment to international AI governance, further demonstrated by a recent AI safety agreement with the US.

A key feature of the Seoul Summit will be the release of the International Scientific Report on Advanced AI Safety, led by Turing Prize winner Yoshua Bengio. This report aims to consolidate the best scientific research on AI safety, emphasizing the summit's role in generating actionable insights for the safe development of AI.

The agenda of the AI Seoul Summit underscores the critical need to address the complexities and potential of AI, from model safety evaluations to promoting sustainable AI practices. As the global community increasingly embraces AI innovation, the Seoul Summit represents a significant step toward ensuring that technology advances safely and inclusively, contributing to prosperity for all.