The Critical Need for International Cooperation on AI

The Quest to Harness AI’s Promise While Avoiding Its Perils Demands Unprecedented Global Cooperation

Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing at a blistering pace. As systems become more capable and autonomous, their impacts promise to be transformative. But without coordination across borders, AI may exacerbate global risks as much as it helps humanity flourish.

International cooperation is essential to steer AI toward benefits and away from pitfalls. New institutions for global AI governance can set norms, enable technology sharing, build consensus, and accelerate safety research. But what forms could such cooperation take? And how can it overcome the obstacles of Competing interests and national security concerns?

I recently read an influential paper on AI governance from researchers at organizations like Google DeepMind, Stanford, and Oxford with lead author Lewis Ho. The wide-ranging topics within shed light on the critical need for global cooperation and the governance models that could fulfill it.

Why International Cooperation is Essential

Most technologies’ impacts are confined largely within national borders. But advanced AI systems may be different…