Support for Three-Point Plan: Heads of State Demand Strict Controls for AI
The development of artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly – but reports of cyberattacks carried out by AI have been mounting recently. Now a group of 22 heads of state and government is calling for international oversight.
In light of recent security incidents, 22 heads of state and government have spoken out in favour of stricter controls on artificial intelligence. The group, led by initiators Finland and Norway, called in a joint declaration for binding safety rules for developers and the establishment of a global regulatory authority.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were also among the signatories of the document, which was presented on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. In addition to European countries, Australia, Canada, Kenya, Singapore and South Africa are among those that have joined. The United States and China, currently considered the leading powers in the AI industry, are not yet among the signatories.
Warning Against Excessive Pace of Development
In recent times, there have been several reports of security-relevant incidents in connection with the development of the technology. The initiators also referenced these in their declaration. They stated that they had recently been forced to observe how high-performance systems circumvented built-in safeguards, exploited security vulnerabilities and gained unauthorised access to real computer networks.
Most recently, even leading AI companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic had warned that current developments are moving too quickly and called for a slowdown in the pace of progress.
The signatory heads of state and government are therefore demanding in a three-point paper that manufacturers provide transparent safety measures and that new programmes be reviewed by independent experts. In addition, governments should establish uniform standards and report serious incidents. The member states of the United Nations should also examine the establishment of an international body that sets and monitors binding standards for AI, the declaration stated.
