UK Expands Efforts in AI Safety Ahead of Seoul Summit
The United Kingdom is expanding its efforts in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) safety, ahead of the upcoming AI Safety Summit in Seoul, South Korea. The UK’s AI Safety Institute, a body established in November 2023 to assess and address risks in AI platforms, will open a second location in San Francisco.
Closer to the Epicenter of AI Development
The Bay Area is home to companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Meta that are building foundational AI technology. Foundational models are the building blocks of generative AI services and other applications. The UK’s decision to set up a presence in San Francisco is driven by the desire to get closer to the epicenter of AI development.
"By having people on the ground in San Francisco, it will give them access to the headquarters of many of these AI companies," said Michelle Donelan, the UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, in an interview with TechCrunch. "A number of them have bases here in the United Kingdom, but we think that would be very useful to have a base there as well, and access to an additional pool of talent, and be able to work even more collaboratively and hand-in-glove with the United States."
Why Establish a Presence in the US?
Part of the reason for establishing a presence in the US is not just about understanding what is being built but also giving the UK more visibility with these firms. AI and technology are seen by the UK as a huge opportunity for economic growth and investment.
The AI Safety Institute’s Modest Beginnings
The AI Safety Institute, launched in November 2023, is a relatively modest affair today. The organization has just 32 employees, a veritable David to the Goliath of AI tech, when you consider the billions of dollars of investment riding on the companies building AI technology.
Scaling Operations in an Area Bursting with Tech Talent
The Institute’s chair, Ian Hogarth, said in a statement: "Today marks a pivotal moment that allows us to further advance this agenda, and we are proud to be scaling our operations in an area bursting with tech talent, adding to the incredible expertise that our staff in London has brought since the very beginning."
Topics
- AI
- AI Safety Institute
- AI Safety Regulation
- AI Safety Summit
- Government & Policy
- United Kingdom
Ingrid Lunden’s Bio
Ingrid Lunden is a writer and editor for TechCrunch, joining February 2012, based out of London. Before TechCrunch, Ingrid worked at paidContent.org, where she was a staff writer, and has in the past also written freelance regularly for other publications such as the Financial Times.
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