Japan leads push for global AI governance framework
PARIS, FRANCE — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has unveiled an ambitious plan to establish a new international framework for developing rules on the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
During his keynote address at a high-level meeting of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, Kishida called upon nations to unite in addressing the “universal opportunities and risks” posed by generative AI, emphasizing the need for collaboration to achieve “safe, secure, and trustworthy AI.”
Hiroshima AI Process Friends Group launched
Kishida expressed gratitude for the launch of the “Hiroshima AI Process Friends Group,” a multilateral initiative stemming from the agreement reached at last year’s G7 summit in Hiroshima, where Japan led efforts to establish international guidelines for reliable AI systems.
The Friends Group’s creation comes amid growing concerns over the potential misuse of generative AI tools to spread disinformation, which could threaten democracy and political stability worldwide.
World’s first extensive AI rules by the European Union
Last year, the European Union reached a provisional agreement on legislation that will regulate the development and use of AI systems across its 27 member states. The landmark Artificial Intelligence Act aims to mitigate the dangers of AI functions depending on their risk, from minimal to unacceptable.
The AI Act, which will fully take effect in 2025, covers large language models like chatbots, which will face new reporting requirements. Violations could result in fines of up to €35 million ($38 million) or 7% of global annual turnover.
The agreement has been hailed as setting the bar for AI governance globally. In the United States, tech giants joined President Joe Biden’s AI regulation initiative, while United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak advocated a careful approach to AI regulation.
Japan’s commitment to climate change and global economy
Beyond AI governance, Kishida pledged Japan’s commitment to tackling climate change through the newly established “Inclusive Forum on Carbon Mitigation Approaches,” describing the crisis as “a challenge common to all humankind that cannot be postponed.”
A new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) reveals that over 70% of the global workforce, equating to 2.4 billion workers, face serious health hazards due to climate change.
Similarly, as global temperatures continue rising, 800 million people working outdoors in tropical regions face severe risks to their health and productivity, according to a study published in the Cell Press journal One Earth.
It stated, “We show that under an additional 1C of warming, 800 million people in the tropics will live in areas where heavy work should be limited for over half of the hours in the year.”
On trade, the Prime Minister advocated for maintaining a “rules-based, free and fair economic order” while addressing economic coercion, non-market policies, supply chain resilience, and the protection of critical technologies.
Kishida also expressed Japan’s readiness to support the OECD’s expansion, inviting economies from Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia to join the organization.
“As one of the few Asian members, Japan will continue to act as a bridge between the OECD and the Asian region, contributing to the OECD’s continued leadership in the global economy,” Kishida said.
As Japan chairs the OECD in 2024, Kishida’s visit to Paris marked the first stop on his six-day overseas trip, which will also include stops in Brazil and Paraguay during Japan’s Golden Week holiday period.
