Can a Series of Global AI Summits Actually Shape the Rules that will Govern the World’s most Powerful Technology?

In 2023, the United Kingdom hosted the world’s first major international summit on the risks of advanced artificial intelligence. That Bletchley Park gathering kicked off a series of high-profile summits — in Seoul in 2024, in Paris earlier this year, and with India set to host the next in 2026.

But here’s the big question: are these summits actually building the guardrails the world needs to keep AI safe — or are they falling short?

My guest today, Robert F. Trager, says the answer depends on whether this summit series is reformed. Trager is Co-Director of the Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative, which recently published a roadmap for how the AI Summit Series can live up to its potential.

We dig into those recommendations, and we also take stock of what these summits have accomplished so far — and what’s at stake if they fail.

This episode was supported through a grant from the Tarbell Center for AI Journalism

Report mentioned: The Future of the AI Summit Series