Human-centred AI development: Italian PM’s key message during Washington visit

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited Washington and discussed the future of AI governance with US President Joe Biden and veteran diplomat Henry Kissinger. During her visit, she emphasised her strong commitment to prioritising AI dialogue and establishing a multilateral framework to control AI development, ensuring that it ultimately serves the best interests of humanity.

In her interview with SkyTG24, she mentioned her efforts to raise the issue of AI at several multilateral summits, including the Council of Europe Summit and the Hiroshima G-7 Summit. Additionally, she stressed her commitment to keeping AI as a prominent topic on the agenda during Italy’s G-7 leadership in the following year, as she believes people may not fully comprehend the potential risks involved.

PM Meloni’s primary concern lies in whether AI development aligns with human-centric goals. She considers this issue more important than the opportunities AI presents, as it could significantly impact the job market and other aspects. She emphasised the need for governing the AI development process, particularly at the multilateral level, due to its rapid pace, which often surpasses political decision-making timelines.

According to PM Meloni, the focus should be on research and dialogue with all stakeholders to understand the implications of AI fully. She believes that such efforts will guide appropriate actions, including necessary regulations and limitations, to ensure AI’s development adheres to human values. She called for intervention by states and international organisations to keep human beings at the centre of the evolving AI-influenced world.

After the meeting with the US president, a joint statement was issued by both leaders, with a central focus on cooperation in the fields of AI, science, and technology. Here are the main takeaways:

• Both parties are committed to placing significant focus on emerging technologies as they shape the global economy and influence the future of the international system in the coming decades.
• Parties are committed to deepening their collaboration in various domains, focusing on exploring AI’s impact, especially during Italy’s Presidency of the G7 next year.
• Both countries acknowledge the vital role of cybersecurity in ensuring resilience, enabling societies to benefit from industrial and technological cooperation and development.
• A strong commitment is made to enhance space cooperation between the two nations, including fostering industrial collaboration with government support through a ‘new space dialogue.’ They also reaffirmed their partnership in space exploration and joint investments.
• Recognising the significance of responsible behaviour, norms, and principles in space, both countries express a desire to address space threats and welcome innovative commercial space partnerships, particularly those advancing human spaceflight.
• The commitment was made to strengthen bilateral collaboration in science and technology research and development, with a strong foundation in democratic values, equity, fair competition, freedom of inquiry, openness, research integrity, and transparency.