Britain appoints tech expert and diplomat to spearhead AI summit

Britain has chosen tech expert Matt Clifford and former senior diplomat Jonathan Black to lead preparations for its global summit on artificial intelligence (AI) this year.

The two will rally political leaders, AI companies and experts ahead of the event this autumn, the government said on Thursday.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in June pitched Britain as a possible global leader in guardianship of safety of the fast-developing technology, saying he wanted the country to be both the intellectual and geographical home of AI regulation.

Clifford, co-founder and CEO of investment firm Entrepreneur First, told Reuters he hoped the summit would set the tone for future international debates on AI regulation.

Governments around the world are wrestling with how to control the potential negative consequences of AI without stifling innovation.

Sunak’s government has yet to name a specific date for the event or set out who is likely to attend.

The European Union has taken a lead with its proposed AI Act, which it hopes will become a global benchmark for the booming technology.

Citing the success of London-based DeepMind, Clifford said the UK’s credentials to be a world leader in AI were very clear.