Tag: Downing Street

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 May 2023.

A joint statement between the PM and leading CEOs in Artificial Intelligence (AI) following a meeting to discuss the development of safe and responsible  AI.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met the CEOs of OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic today to discuss joint action to ensure the development of safe and responsible Artificial Intelligence and how to establish the right approach to governance for the next technological frontier. The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Chloe Smith, also joined the meeting.

The PM made clear that AI is the defining technology of our time, with the potential to positively transform humanity.

But the success of this technology is founded on having the right guardrails in place, so that the public can have confidence that AI is used in a safe and responsible way. The PM set out how the approach to AI regulation will need to keep pace with the fast-moving advances in this technology. That is why the UK Government has deliberately adopted an agile response to unlock the opportunities whilst mitigating the risks of the technology, as outlined in our AI White Paper.

The potential impacts of AI transcend borders and have implications for the world economy. He outlined that AI safety will increasingly be an international endeavour – as agreed at the G7 – with the UK well placed to lead the international discussion regarding the measures and guardrails that are needed. This work would build on the UK’s engagement already underway through other international forums.

The PM and CEOs discussed the risks of the technology, ranging from disinformation and national security, to existential threats. They discussed safety measures, voluntary actions that labs are considering to manage the risks, and the possible avenues for international collaboration on AI safety and regulation. The lab leaders agreed to work with the UK Government to ensure our approach responds to the speed of innovations in this technology both in the UK and around the globe.

The PM spoke about the UK Government’s ambitions to advance capability in AI and harness AI’s potential to deliver better outcomes for the British public, with emerging opportunities in a range of areas to improve public services. The CEOs agreed to work closely with the Foundation Model Taskforce, which is backed by an initial £100m of start-up funding, to deliver this. The Taskforce will advance approaches to AI safety which will inform international approaches.

AI will improve life dramatically, from transforming industries to delivering scientific breakthroughs. The PM and CEOs committed to work together to ensure society benefits from such transformation.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 May 2023.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 22 May 2023.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s remarks at the at the G7 press conference.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 22 May 2023.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, at the G7 Summit in Japan.

Prime Minister Modi passed on his warm congratulations on the coronation of his Majesty King Charles III.

The leaders reflected on the deep ties between the UK and India, rooted in our human connections, and the vital importance of democracy and fair and open trade.

They discussed progress on a UK-India Free Trade Agreement. The leaders agreed that their teams would continue to work at pace to finalise an ambitious and mutually beneficial deal.

The leaders discussed the wider objectives of the G7 Summit and the Prime Minister committed his strong support for India’s G20 Presidency, which comes at a crucial time for global security and prosperity.

He looked forward to working closely with Prime Minister Modi ahead of a successful Summit later this year.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 20 May 2023.

The Prime Minister met the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk-Yeol, at the G7 Summit today.

In the 140th year of diplomatic relations, the leaders reflected on the deep and historic partnership between the UK and Republic of Korea.

The Prime Minister expressed admiration for Seoul’s global leadership, particularly on defence, security and technology. They discussed North Korea’s deeply destabilising regional activity and agreed on the importance of the DPRK abiding by its international commitments.

The Prime Minister set out the UK’s foreign policy focus on the Indo-Pacific, as demonstrated through our accession to CPTPP, AUKUS agreement and ASEAN dialogue partner status.

The leaders agreed to work at pace towards a much deeper partnership between the UK and Republic of Korea, focused on defence, cyber, technology – including semiconductors – and economic growth.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 20 May 2023.

The Prime Minister met President Joko Widodo of Indonesia at the G7 Summit in Japan this morning.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 20 May 2023.

The Prime Minister met Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy this evening at the G7 Summit in Japan.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 20 May 2023.

The Prime Minister met French President Emmanuel Macron at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima today.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 20 May 2023.

Prime Minister Sunak has redoubled the UK’s commitment to mobilising billions in finance to help get the Sustainable Development Goals back on track.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had redoubled the UK’s commitment to mobilising billions in public and private finance to help get the Sustainable Development Goals back on track at the G7 in Japan.

The UK’s development finance institution, British International Investment, is announcing its first investment in the Indo-Pacific today. The $15 million [£12m] investment in the SUSI Asia Energy Transition Fund will support renewable energy, energy storage and microgrid projects across the continent.

The G7 launched the global infrastructure investment initiative under the UK’s presidency in Carbis Bay in 2021, to provide transparent and reliable sources of finance to build vital and long-neglected infrastructure in low and middle income countries, from bridges and roads to renewable energy grids.

The Prime Minister will confirm today, ahead of a side event on the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment at the G7, that the UK will aim to mobilise $40 billion in financing for sustainable infrastructure investment and economic development by the end of 2027.

UK public and private financing has already helped to kickstart a huge range of projects, from wind and solar projects in India to sustainable energy supplies for hospitals in Africa.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

“We know the transformative power of reliable, responsible private investment. It’s the spark that is helping us to build ports in Senegal and Somaliland, hydropower projects in Rwanda and offshore wind in India.

“The UK is committed to ensuring the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment delivers the financing the world needs to lift communities out of poverty.”

The UK is also working with G7 partners to reform the international tax architecture and make the international financial system more responsive to developing countries’ needs, for example by including Climate Resilient Debt Clauses (CRDCs) in new lending.

These clauses allow debt repayments to be suspended when climate shocks, such as hurricanes, hit. This in turn frees up resources to quickly respond to crises.

UK Export Finance was the first Export Credit Agency to offer CRDCs and the first deals using this new approach are set to be announced over the next few months.

This is part of the UK’s broader work with partners to build a bigger, better and fairer international financial system.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 19 May 2023.

The Prime Minister will set out the UK’s plan to tackle global threats to security and prosperity as he opens a session at the G7 today.

The Prime Minister will set out the UK’s plan to expand the tools we can deploy to tackle global threats to security and prosperity and counter growing economic coercion, as he opens a session at the G7 today [Saturday 20th May] on economic security.

Speaking to G7 leaders, Rishi Sunak will highlight the huge potential costs to the global economy of hostile activity – noting for example the impact of Russia’s stranglehold on European gas supplies last year – and urge bold and pragmatic collective action.

He will urge the G7 and other international partners to coordinate our responses to unfair and coercive trading practices to avoid a costly zero sum game, which could hamper collective prospects for growth and technological innovation.

It comes as leaders are expected to agree to create a new G7 Coordination Platform on Economic Coercion. The Platform will address the growing and pernicious use of coercive economic measures to interfere in the sovereign affairs of other states. China, for example, has recently used its economic power to coerce countries including Australia and Lithuania over political disputes.

The new G7 Coordination Platform will provide a forum to identify vulnerabilities and coordinate on protective measures, drawing on insights from policymakers, businesses and academics. It will also act as the main forum for the G7 to coordinate on rapid responses to economic coercion when it occurs, ensuring we are giving each other early warning of possible crises and taking joint action where necessary.

The Prime Minister will set out the vital importance of precise, targeted and – as far as possible coordinated – approaches to protecting exploitation of our cutting-edge technologies for authoritarian ends, whilst preserving all the benefits of efficient, innovative free markets and open trade.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

We should be clear-eyed about the growing challenge we face. China is engaged in a concerted and strategic economic contest. And when Russia weaponised Europe’s energy supplies, it was a sign of what can happen when we rely too much on states who don’t share our values.

Our collective economic security matters now more than ever. By working together and avoiding competition between friends, we can lift our prosperity, innovate faster and out-compete autocratic states.

The UK has already taken a number of steps to further bolster our domestic economic security, including launching the new National Protective Security Authority within MI5 earlier this year to provide expert advice to businesses, academics and others. These complement existing export controls and investment screening powers under the National Security and Investment Act.

As the Government set out in the Integrated Review Refresh, we are stronger when we act with allies and partners to defend global rules, build our economic resilience and protect against the exploitation of our economic and technological advantage.

G7 leaders are also expected to step up joint efforts to strengthen the resilience of supply chains for vital goods like semiconductors and critical minerals.

It comes after the UK agreed a new semiconductor partnership with Japan on Thursday [18th] and published the UK’s National Semiconductor Strategy yesterday [19th], which sets out how up to £1 billion of government investment will boost the UK’s strengths and skills in design, R&D and compound semiconductors, while helping to grow domestic chip firms across the UK.