NEW YORK CITY — Leaders and representatives from 20 countries released a statement calling for increased oversight of advanced AI systems. The document, posted by the president of Finland, outlines a framework for international coordination to manage the risks associated with rapid technological development.

To achieve these goals, the statement asks companies to test their systems for safety issues before public deployment and allow independent evaluators to assess risks. It also requests that governments and regional groups develop common safety standards to enable model evaluation with required scientific expertise. The statement calls for U.N. members to leverage existing international efforts and explore creating an international institution to set standards, enable verification, and convene states when capability thresholds are crossed. It reads that “AI must remain under human direction, oversight and control.” The statement emphasizes that AI must be developed and used in line with international law. Representatives from the U.S., U.K. and China refrained from signing the document.

Nick Moes, executive director of AI governance nonprofit The Future Society, commended the initiative. “It is great news that this broad range of governments come together to call for an international institution because no government can achieve this alone,” he said. He noted the challenges that remain in implementing such a framework.

“But beyond statements, mobilizing diplomatic, political and financial capital will be needed to bring about the change that they agreed is necessary to keep control over frontier AI models,” Moes said. His organization has previously advocated for similar regulatory structures.

Why It Matters

The joint statement represents a significant step in global efforts to regulate artificial intelligence, particularly given the absence of major powers like the U.S., China, and the U.K. The proposed institution aims to address safety protocol breaches and unchecked development by establishing common standards and verification mechanisms. This effort builds on prior regional initiatives, such as the European AI Act supported by Netherlands Prime Minister Rob Jetten, which aimed to create a unified regulatory framework for AI across EU member states.

The involvement of leaders like United Arab Emirates’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who emphasized cross-border cooperation at the Global AI Summit in Dubai, shows the growing diplomatic focus on AI governance. Nick Moes, executive director of The Future Society, has previously advocated for the creation of an international regulatory body for AI, including a proposal for a 'Global AI Safety Authority' in a report. The success of the new initiative will depend on the ability of signatory nations to secure the necessary political and financial resources to operationalize the proposed institution.

Timeline

Signatories to the statement included Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Kenyan President William Ruto, Netherlands Prime Minister Rob Jetten, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. United Arab Emirates’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan signed the document.

The statement declares that the rapid pace of AI development and recent episodes of AI systems sidestepping safety protocols demand concerted international coordination. The document asks companies to test their systems for safety issues before public deployment and allow independent evaluators to assess risks. It calls for U.N. members to leverage existing international efforts and explore creating an international institution to set standards, enable verification, and convene states when capability thresholds are crossed. Nick Moes said, “But beyond statements, mobilizing diplomatic, political and financial capital will be needed to bring about the change that they agreed is necessary to keep control over frontier AI models.”

What's New

Later reporting indicates that the United Arab Emirates’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has been involved in multiple international AI policy discussions, including the Global AI Summit in Dubai, where he emphasized the need for cross-border cooperation on AI governance. Further background reveals that Netherlands Prime Minister Rob Jetten previously supported the development of a European AI Act, which aimed to create a unified regulatory framework for AI across EU member states.