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State of play of major global AI governance processes 

AI Governance

by Haythem Abdelkefi

Discover the full AI Governance Day 2024 Report – From Principles to Implementation here.

 

Panelists: 

  • H.E. Mr. Hiroshi Yoshida, Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan 
  • Thomas Schneider, Ambassador and Director of International Affairs, Swiss Federal Office of Communications, and Chair of the Council of Europe Committee on AI 
  • SHAN Zhongde, Vice Minister, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, People’s Republic of China 
  • Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, Head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) 
  • Juha Heikkilä, Adviser for Artificial Intelligence, European Commission. 

Moderator: 

 

Mr. Ambassador Thomas Schneider on the Council of Europe treaty 

Mr. Ambassador Thomas Schneider highlighted the complexity of AI governance and the necessity for a context-based approach. He drew parallels to engine regulation, emphasizing that AI should not be regulated as a monolith but in terms of its functions and impacts. 

“We regulate the people that are driving the engines. We regulate the infrastructure. We regulate or protect people affected. It’s all context-based. It’s not the engine; it’s the function of the engine, the effect of the tool. […] The same logic should be applied to AI.” (Thomas Schneider) 

He also spoke about the Council of Europe treaty, designed to ensure that existing human rights protections apply to AI.  

“The Council of Europe treaty was drafted not in a spirit to create new human rights, not to reinvent the wheel, but actually to make sure that the existing human rights and protections for democracy and the rule of law are applied in the context where AI is used.” (Thomas Schneider) 

Thomas Schneider, Ambassador and Director of International Affairs, Swiss Federal Office of Communications, and Chair of the Council of Europe Committee on AI 

Mr. Juha Heikkilä on the European AI act 

Mr. Juha Heikkilä provided an overview of the European AI Act, described as “the first comprehensive, horizontal, and legally binding regulation globally.” He detailed the phased implementation of the Act and its risk-based approach. 

“The implementation itself is based on a strong pre and post market system of enforcement and supervision. It’s a decentralized system of national notified bodies checking compliance with the AI Act requirements before high-risk systems can be placed on the EU market.” (Juha Heikkilä) 

Mr. Juha Heikkilä highlighted also the importance of the European AI Office, the scope of which is much broader that the role of safety institutes set up in some countries as it also deals with research, innovation and deployment aspects, as well as international engagement. 

Mr. Heikkilä emphasized the importance of trust in AI systems.  

“Trust is important because trust is the sine qua non for uptake […] and uptake is the sine qua non for benefits to materialize.” (Juha Heikkilä) 

Juha Heikkilä, Adviser for Artificial Intelligence, European Commission 

Mr. Alan Davidson on the U.S. executive order 

Mr. Alan Davidson discussed the U.S. approach to AI governance, starting with voluntary commitments from leading AI companies and the issuance of an executive order by President Biden. He highlighted the establishment of the U.S. AI Safety Institute and the need for international collaboration. 

“Just as an example, I will talk about the sustainable development goals, which, as many of you know, we are on track to achieve just 12% of our goals in that space. In these benchmarks, we’ve plateaued on many of them, and on some of them, we’re actually regressing. But studies suggest that AI could accelerate progress on 80% of the SDGs, in part by automating the work and improving decision-making.” (Alan Davidson) 

 

Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, Head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) 

 

Mr. Shan Zhongde on China’s AI governance 

Vice Minister Shan Zhongde emphasized China’s commitment to AI ethics and the practical steps taken to implement AI governance. He spoke about China’s efforts to prevent risks, promote transparency, and ensure equity and justice in AI applications. 

” We are drafting and creating different strategies and methods, and through research, we are progressing. We are working on different algorithms, and in that way, we are engaging in in-depth work with AI to adopt a number of policies and regulations. We are also […] dividing products in different categories: finance, health, transport systems. […] In all these fields we have specific standards.” (Shan Zhongde) 

 

Shan Zhongde, Vice Minister, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, People’s Republic of China 

Mr. Hiroshi Yoshida on the G7 Hiroshima process 

H.E. Mr. Hiroshi Yoshida discussed Japan’s international efforts in AI governance, particularly through the Hiroshima AI Process.  

“[Instead of hesitating] to get the best of AI because of the risks […] we should mitigate those risks and get the best use” (Hiroshi Yoshida) 

He highlighted the importance of interoperability in AI governance frameworks. 

“The concept of the Hiroshima AI Process is that we need some kind of governance framework, but it should be interoperable. [However], interoperable [does not mean that] every country has to take the same action.” (Hiroshi Yoshida) 

H.E. Mr. Hiroshi Yoshida, Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan

Mr. Dohyun Kang on Korea’s AI safety initiatives 

H.E. Mr. Dohyun Kang shared insights from Korea’s AI Safety Summit which dealt with safety, innovation and inclusivity. He emphasized the country’s focus on international collaboration for AI safety standards and the importance of taking practical steps to enhance AI governance. 

“The Seoul Declaration emphasized the importance of testing and measuring AI safety and addressing all the various side impacts of AI.” (Dohyun Kang) 

H.E. Mr. Dohyun Kang, Vice Minister, Ministry of Science and ICT, Republic of Korea 

The path forward  

The panelists agreed on the necessity of international cooperation and multi-stakeholder discussions to develop effective AI governance frameworks. They emphasized the need for transparency, accountability, and interoperability to ensure that AI technologies are developed and deployed responsibly. 

Mr. Thomas Schneider underscored the importance of a global governance framework that reflects diverse cultural and situational needs.  

“We should cooperate together, and not just governments, but all stakeholders, to develop a global governance and cooperation framework that allows us to do the same in different ways that reflect our situations, cultures, and needs. ” (Thomas Schneider) 

The discussion concluded with a call to action for continuous collaboration and the sharing of best practices to harness AI for the benefit of all humanity. Ms. Ebtesam Almazrouei summarized the sentiment of the panel.  

“AI for good should be our compass, and how we can harness the power of AI across all the 17 SDGs is a crucial step that we all should agree on as government, industry leaders, NGOs, and academic institutions.” (Ebtesam Almazrouei) 

 

Ebtesam Almazrouei, Founder and CEO of AI E3, United Arab Emirates

Looking ahead: the future of AI governance 

As countries continue to develop and refine their AI governance frameworks, the insights shared during this panel provide a valuable roadmap. The emphasis on inclusivity, international collaboration, and the adaptation of regulatory approaches to specific cultural and situational contexts will be key to ensuring that AI technologies are both innovative and responsibly managed. 

The establishment of AI safety institutes in various countries, the implementation of comprehensive regulatory frameworks like the European AI Act, and the continued dialogue through international forums and summits all contribute to a robust global AI governance ecosystem. 

The panelists’ collective vision of a future where AI technologies are harnessed for the greater good, while mitigating risks and ensuring equitable access, underscores the importance of their ongoing efforts. As the field of AI continues to evolve, the lessons learned and shared during this panel will undoubtedly shape the future of AI governance worldwide. 

H.E. Mr. Hiroshi Yoshida
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan
Ambassador, Director
Thomas Schneider
Swiss Federal Office of Communications
Chair of the Council of Europe Committee on AI
Vice minister
H.E. Mr. Dohyun Kang
Ministry of Science and ICT Republic of Korea
Vice minister
H.E. Mr. SHAN Zhongde
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, People’s Republic of China
Alan Davidson
Commerce for Communications and Information
NTIA Administrator 
Juha Heikkilä
European Commission
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