Tackling AI a key theme for Italy’s G7 presidency

04 January 2024

Tackling the dangers posed by AI will one of two key themes for Italy’s G7 presidency this year. 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told a press conference yesterday that tackling the challenges of AI, particularly in relation to its effects on the labour market, will be a main priority for Italy’s one-year presidency of the G7, alongside supporting African development. 

Prime Minister Meloni told reporters:

"Today we are faced with a revolution where (human) intellect is in danger of being replaced."

The G7 issued its Digital & Tech Ministers’ Statement on 7th September 2023, which included a commitment to the Hiroshima Process. The Process works towards developing common reference frameworks for international AI regulation. 

To date, the Hiroshima Process has developed:

• The Hiroshima Process International Guiding Principles for Organizations Developing Advanced AI Systems 

• The Hiroshima Process International Code of Conduct for Organizations Developing Advanced AI Systems 

The Principles and Code of Conduct build on the 2019 OECD AI Principles, adopted by the G20 in May 2019 to "focus on how governments and other actors can shape a human-centric approach to trustworthy AI." 

With Italy’s G7 presidency aiming to prioritise the development of AI safety standards, 2024 looks set to be a year of increased international cooperation towards common standards for the safe use of AI...