The Council of Europe human rights organization has announced that the world’s inaugural legally binding international AI treaty will be available for signing on Thursday.
Participating nations, including members of the European Union, the United States, and Britain, who were involved in the negotiations, will have the opportunity to sign the AI Convention.
This treaty, developed over the course of several years and adopted in May following consultations with 57 countries, aims to address the potential risks associated with AI technology while promoting responsible innovation.
Britain’s justice minister, Shabana Mahmood, emphasized the significance of the AI Convention in safeguarding fundamental values such as human rights and the rule of law, asserting that it represents a crucial advancement in ensuring the responsible utilization of emerging technologies.
Primarily focused on protecting the human rights of individuals impacted by AI systems, the AI Convention stands as a distinct initiative from the EU AI Act, which came into effect the previous month. The EU AI Act comprises comprehensive regulations governing the development, deployment, and utilization of AI systems within the EU internal market.
The Council of Europe operates as a separate international organization from the EU with a core mandate centered on upholding human rights, boasting a membership of 47 countries, including all 27 EU member states.
The groundwork for the AI framework convention was laid out by an ad hoc committee in 2019, and subsequent efforts led to the formation of a Committee on Artificial Intelligence in 2022, tasked with drafting and negotiating the treaty’s text.
Signatories of the AI Convention will have the flexibility to implement legislative, administrative, or other measures to enforce its provisions. The UK government has pledged to collaborate with regulators, devolved administrations, and local authorities to ensure the successful implementation of the treaty’s requirements.
