US Secretary of Commerce and US Secretary of State Announce Inaugural Convening of International Network of AI Safety Institutes in San Francisco

Commerce and State to co-host convening to advance global cooperation toward the safe, secure, and trustworthy development of artificial intelligence

SAN FRANCISCO - Following Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo’s announcement of the launch of the International Network of AI Safety Institutes during the AI Seoul Summit in May, the US Commerce Department and US State Department shared that they will co-host the inaugural convening of the Network on November 20-21, 2024, in San Francisco, California, according to the official website of the US Department of Commerce. 

The convening will bring together technical experts on artificial intelligence from each member’s AI safety institute, or equivalent government-backed scientific office, in order to align on priority work areas for the Network and begin advancing global collaboration and knowledge sharing on AI safety.

“AI is the defining technology of our generation. With AI evolving at a rapid pace, we at the Department of Commerce, and across the Biden-Harris Administration, are pulling every lever. That includes close, thoughtful coordination with our allies and like-minded partners,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “We want the rules of the road on AI to be underpinned by safety, security, and trust, which is why this convening is so important. I look forward to welcoming government scientists and technical experts from the International Network of AI Safety Institutes to the center of American digital innovation, as we run toward the next phase of global cooperation in advancing the science of AI safety.”

The initial members of the International Network of AI Safety Institutes are Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Japan, Kenya, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. 

All members have expressed a shared ambition to advance the science of AI safety and recognize the importance of international coordination in ensuring that the benefits of AI development and deployment are shared equitably around the globe.

“Strengthening international collaboration on AI safety is critical to harnessing AI technology to solve the world’s greatest challenges. The AI Safety Network stands as a cornerstone of this effort,” said U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken.

The goal of this convening is to kickstart the Network’s technical collaboration ahead of the AI Action Summit in Paris in February 2025. The Departments will also invite experts from international civil society, academia, and industry to join portions of the event to help inform the work of the Network and ensure a robust view of the latest developments in the field of AI.