Panel Discussion at GenAI/SUM: The Generative AI Summit

On October 9, Dr. HARAYAMA Yuko, Secretary General of the GPAI Tokyo Expert Support Center participated in a panel discussion titled "International rules and the future of generative AI" at the Generative AI Summit (GenAI/SUM 2024), organized by Nikkei Inc. (Theme: The Shin Industrial Revolution driven by Generative AI). The panel, moderated by Mr. TONOMURA Keiji (Partner, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu), featured Mr. IIDA Yoichi (Assistant Vice Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan) and Mr. OSHIBA Kojin (Co-Founder, Robust Intelligence and Representative Director of the AI Governance Association).

The discussion highlighted 2019, a significant year in AI adoption, and 2023, the year after the launch of ChatGPT, as pivotal moments of transformation. Each panelist shared their perspectives on the challenges and initiatives faced by governments, experts, and startups during these periods.

Mr. Iida provided insights into the history of AI discussions at the G7, noting that the AI agenda introduced at the G7 ICT Ministers’ Meeting in Takamatsu, Kagawa in 2016 was elevated to a leader-level topic at the G7 Italy Summit in 2017. This progression eventually led to the adoption of the OECD AI Principles in 2019. He also offered a behind-the-scenes look at the negotiations leading to the Hiroshima AI Process agreement in 2023, a process spearheaded by Japan.

Secretary General Harayama, who contributed as an expert in drafting G7 documents, explained that the EU AI Act, enacted in May 2023, was designed to uphold values such as freedom, human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. She also discussed Japan’s involvement in drafting the AI Treaty (Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law) adopted by the Council of Europe in the same month, emphasizing the importance of effectively integrating international rules into domestic systems.

In the context of international rule-making for AI, where there is a general consensus on the need for cooperation among countries and the sharing of soft law frameworks, Mr. Oshiba noted that from a technical perspective, it is easier to build a shared understanding of the challenges, such as ensuring AI fairness and scaling its use while using a common language.