US Vice President Kamala Harris calls for action on "full spectrum" of AI risks
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday called for urgent action to protect the public and democracy from the dangers posed by artificial intelligence, announcing a series of initiatives to address safety concerns about the technology.
In a speech at the U.S. Embassy in London, Harris spoke of the dangers AI could pose for individuals and the Western political system.
The technology has the potential to create "cyberattacks at a scale beyond anything we have seen before" or "AI-formulated bioweapons that could endanger the lives of millions", she said.
"These threats are often referred to as the 'existential threats of AI', because they could endanger the very existence of humanity," Harris added.
The United States on Wednesday announced plans to establish a new AI Safety Institute, which will assess potential risks. Britain announced a similar initiative last week.
The timing of her speech was questioned by some British executives and lawmakers, who suggested Washington was trying to overshadow Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's AI Safety Summit, which takes place on Wednesday and Thursday.
Harris has invited a number of research groups to join her for a closed-door event at the embassy in London on Wednesday, according to two sources, meaning some attendees may have to leave the summit at Bletchley Park early.
"It's a huge issue, and it undermines the core focus here," said Sachin Dev Duggal, founder of London-based AI firm Builder.ai.
Harris's speech made only brief reference to the British event, which she will attend on Thursday.
British officials denied any concerns, however, saying they wanted more voices to be speaking in the debate.
"It's not necessarily a bad thing that the U.S. has announced a policy blitz to coincide
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