G7 reaches agreement on AI code of conduct

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 30 - G7 leaders have reached an agreement on international guiding principles on artificial intelligence (AI) and a voluntary code of conduct for AI developers under the Hiroshima AI process. In a statement the European Commission, which contributed to their development, welcomed the agreement, specifying that the principles and code of conduct will complement, at international level, the legally binding rules set out in the EU AI Act, which is currently being finalised.
    The eleven guiding principles which, together with the code of conduct will be reviewed and updated as necessary, provide guidance for organisations developing, deploying and using advanced AI systems, such as foundation models and generative AI, to promote safety and trustworthiness of the technology.
    They include commitments to reduce risks and misuse and to identify vulnerabilities, to encourage responsible information sharing, reporting of incidents and investing in cyber security as well as a labelling system to enable users to identify AI-generated content. These principles, based on the results of a stakeholder survey, have in turn served as the basis for drafting the voluntary code of conduct, which will provide detailed and practical guidance for organisations developing AI. The code of conduct will also promote responsible governance of AI at global level.
    European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, among the signatories to the G7 leaders' statement issued by the 2023 Japan G7 presidency, said the guiding principles and voluntary code of conduct, "reflect EU values to promote trustworthy AI".
    "I call on AI developers to sign and implement this Code of Conduct as soon as possible," she continued, underscoring how the EU is "already a regulatory frontrunner with the AI Act" and is "also contributing to AI guardrails and governance at global level".
    The G7 Hiroshima Artificial Intelligence Process was established at the G7 Summit on 19 May 2023 to promote guardrails for advanced AI systems on a global level. The initiative is part of a wider range of international discussions on guardrails for AI, including at the OECD, the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) and in the context of the EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council and the EU's Digital Partnerships.
    Photo: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
    (ANSA).