Page 8 - Report Roundtable on the future of AI Standards

AI Standardization Roundtable Report: The future of AI, regulation and industry development

Notable insights from panel discussion on the roles of government

and the private sector

Ambassador Thomas Schneider (Switzerland) highlightedthe abundance of guidelines and
rules available and the importance of sharing knowledge among countries. He advocated
for depoliticizing technical discussions. The Council of Europe is actively collaborating with
academia and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to operationalize
the rule of law and human rights within AI frameworks. He acknowledged existing gaps and
urged harmonization wherever possible by existing mechanism including the World Standards
Cooperation (IEC, ISO, ITU).

Ambassador Steve Lang (United States) outlined U.S. government actions including the
issuance of an executive order on trustworthy AI, the AI Bill of Rights, and fostering a culture
of voluntary commitment among U.S. enterprises. He highlighted the role of the U.S. A.I. Safety
Institute, which champions a consensus-based approach inclusive of both the private and public
sectors with the aims of ensuring safe and responsible AI deployment. He also mentioned the
Public-Private Partnership on AI Safety, driven by scientific underpinnings to ensure AI safety
through international collaborations and forums.

Yu Xiaohui, President of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology
(CAICT) discussed the development of AI standards and governance frameworks in China,
emphasizing the country's contribution to related international collaboration He stressed the
importance of respecting cultural diversity in AI rule-making and advocated for accelerating
the implementation of AI standards globally. He highlighted that the upcoming World
Artificial Intelligence Conference 2024 in Shanghai, hosted by China’s Ministry of Industry
and Information Technology, would also focus on AI for social good.

Niraj Verma, Additional Secretary of the Department of Telecommunications (India)
highlighted India’s commitment to bridging the development gap in AI and engaging in the
supporting standardization work of bodies such as ITU, ISO, and IEC. He discussed India's
focus on addressing social challenges through inclusive, ethical AI development, including
with initiatives like the country’s fairness assessment project which aims to mitigate bias and
ensure trustworthy AI systems.

Mercedes Aramendia Falco, Director of ICT regulator URSEC (Uruguay) detailed efforts to
position Uruguay as a leader in AI research and standards in Latin America. These efforts include
the implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence,
the establishment of institutional frameworks, and the development of AI labs. Emphasis was
placed on the importance of capacity building and fostering an AI ecosystem that respects
human rights and promotes innovation.

Participants from the private sector, including representatives from companies like Turkcell,
Cisco, and Huawei, explored the dynamic interplay between AI innovation, safety, and regulation
and shared their views on the environment required to foster innovation without compromising
safety and reliability. They advocated for an open international standards system that does not
stifle technological advancement.

Ali Taha Koç, CEO of Turkcell, emphasized the need for standards that are flexible enough to
foster innovation without being overly restrictive.

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