G7 To Discuss Regulations On AI Tools

Officials from the Group of Seven (G7) nations will meet next week to discuss issues raised by generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, Japan announced on May 26.

Leaders of the G7, which includes the United States, the European Union, and Japan, agreed last week to establish the "Hiroshima AI process" to discuss issues surrounding rapidly evolving AI tools.

According to Japan's communications minister, Takeaki Matsumoto, the G7 will hold the first working-level AI meeting on May 30 to discuss issues such as intellectual property protection, disinformation, and how the technology should be governed.

The meeting takes place as tech regulators around the world assess the impact of popular AI services such as ChatGPT by Microsoft-backed OpenAI.

The EU is on the verge of enacting the world's first major AI legislation, prompting other governments to consider what rules should apply to AI tools.

Japan, as this year's G7 chair, "will lead the G7 discussion on responsive use of generative AI technology," Matsumoto said, adding that the forum hoped to have recommendations for heads of state by the end of the year.

Leaders also called for the development and adoption of international technical standards to keep AI "trustworthy" and "in line with our shared democratic values" at last week's G7 summit in Hiroshima.

Matsumoto said at a regular press conference that the G7 AI working group will seek input from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.