Tech Diplomacy Now: The Week of AI
It has been nearly a year since OpenAI released ChatGPT and governments are beginning to mobilize and respond
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Top News of the Week
Announcements
Latest News
Technology Strategy and Policy
Artificial Intelligence
Telecommunications Networks and Infrastructure
Critical Minerals
Synthetic Biology
Quantum
Advanced Aerospace Technology
Semiconductors and Microelectronics
Energy and Climate
The Last Word
Top News of the Week – The Week of AI
It has been nearly a year since OpenAI released ChatGPT and nearly nine months since the explosion of public and media attention on generative artificial intelligence. Governments are beginning to mobilize and respond.
This week marked the convergence of multiple government and intergovernmental efforts to understand the benefits and risks that could arise from this new technology, as well as efforts to shape it towards assisting democracy, rather than undermining it.
On Monday, the White House released a comprehensive Executive Order on artificial intelligence directed at Departments and Agencies within the Federal Government. The United Kingdom held its first artificial intelligence summit at Bletchley Park this week. Building on the history of the complex mathematical Allied code-breaking effort during the Second World War, the UK Government has moved fast to bring together key stakeholders to begin to form a consensus on the opportunities and risks. These two coordinated actions were reinforced by the release of a Statement by the leaders of the G7 on Artificial Intelligence.
While the enforcement mechanisms for the Executive Order are uncertain on technology companies, the Order mostly focuses on developing standards and directing that companies turn over their testing data to the Commerce Department. So far, companies have signaled a willingness to cooperate. This is likely just the first steps of a long process of developing the formal legislation and regulations for this field of technology.
Last week, the UN Secretary General announced the creation of an international artificial intelligence advisory body to help governments develop a synchronized approach to regulating AI.
Not to be left out, the PRC Government has been mobilizing its considerable resources to formulate its own AI standards, as well as demand a seat the table as democracies work to develop standards across other technology powers.
While many in the field hope that an international consensus can be formed on artificial intelligence, it is likely the values that democracies want to embed within artificial intelligence will be resisted strongly by the PRC and its authoritarian partners.
More background:
G7 Leaders’ Statement on the Hiroshima AI Process – European Commission, October 30, 2023
The Race to Regulate: The race to develop AI is happening alongside the race to regulate it — with the latter potentially having profound impacts on the former. – The Wire China, October 29, 2023
How Sunak’s Bletchley Park summit aims to shape global AI safety – Financial Times, October 28, 2023
United Nations creates advisory body to address AI governance – Reuters, October 27, 2023
White House backs up U.K. decision to invite China to AI summit – WaPo, October 26, 2023
Rishi Sunak lays out vision for new global AI safety bodies – Politico, October 26, 2023
How the media is covering ChatGPT – Columbia Journalism Review, May 26, 2023
A Short History of ChatGPT: How We Got to Where We Are Today – Forbes, May 19, 2023
Announcements
This week's edition of Global Tech Security Insights brings you a thought-provoking conversation with Roger Robinson Jr., our Capital Markets Commissioner at the Global Tech Security Commission.
Roger Robinson Jr. talks about his role as the architect of the economic strategy deployed to take down the Soviet Union and how it is relevant today countering and securing against techno-authoritarian threats, spanning from the Cold War era to challenges emanating from China.
As Robinson points out, the United States dominates the world’s financial domain- it simply has not been leveraged. Watch the full interview by visiting the Global Tech Security Commission.
Purdue University President Mung Chiang shared a powerful message at the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition event in Indianapolis reminding leaders across industry that technology isn't just a tool; it's a force for freedom.
“Purdue, will always stand for freedom. That's why we invest in national security work. And that's why we have Tech Diplomacy.”
Purdue's Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue is leading the charge in advancing freedom through tech innovation, watch President Chiang’s Tech Diplomacy remarks HERE.
Latest News
PLA will ‘show no mercy’ against Taiwan independence moves, top Chinese general says – SCMP, October 30, 2023
U.S., China Agree in Principle to Biden-Xi Summit – WSJ, October 28, 2023
Hamas Fighters Trained in Iran Before Oct. 7 Attacks – WSJ, October 25, 2023
Technology Strategy and Policy
China tech IPOs decline as regulators turn tough on start-ups – Financial Times, October 29, 2023
For China, Bullying Apple Suppliers Could Backfire Badly – WSJ, October 30, 2023
OpenAI forms team to study ‘catastrophic’ AI risks, including nuclear threats – TechCrunch, October 26, 2023
US drops digital trade demands at WTO to allow room for stronger tech regulation – Reuters, October 25, 2023
Artificial Intelligence
Winning The Laser Battle: China has raced into a strong lead in Lidar systems vital to autonomous driving. – The Wire China, October 29, 2023
Sunak to launch AI chatbot for Britons to pay taxes and access pensions – The Telegraph, October 28, 2023
Stacking Boxes? Treating Cancer? AI Needs to Learn Physics First – WSJ, October 27, 2023
Telecommunications Networks and Infrastructure
Warning Signs Grow Apple Is Losing China Consumers to Huawei – Bloomberg, October 29, 2023
China's Huawei reports modest revenue growth for first three quarters – Reuters, October 27, 2023
TikTok Streamers Are Staging ‘Israel vs. Palestine’ Live Matches to Cash In on Virtual Gifts – Wired, October 26, 2023
Finding You: The Network Effect of Telecommunications Vulnerabilities for Location Disclosure – Citizen Lab, October 26, 2023
Critical Minerals
US, UK make progress on critical minerals agreement, US says – Reuters, October 28, 2023
A Wake-Up Call in the Graphite Fight – National Review, October 28, 2023
China turns to belt and road countries in race to secure tech-critical minerals – SCMP, October 25, 2023
Synthetic Biology
Biofuel and Bioproduct Generation Boosted with Engineered Enzymes – SynBioBeta, October 27, 2023
Are American Pharmas Falling Behind on AI? – SynBioBeta, October 26, 2023
Commission recommends carrying out risk assessments on four critical technology areas: advanced semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum, biotechnologies – European Commission, October 3, 2023
Quantum
The Race to Save Our Secrets From the Computers of the Future – NYTs, October 22, 2023
Mitigating The Quantum Threat Today – Forbes, October 23, 2023
Quantum leap: France’s plan to win the future of computing – Sifted, October 23, 2023
Congress must collectively champion quantum information science and technology – The Hill, October 8, 2023
Advanced Aerospace Technology
‘War of money’: can China drag rivals into bankruptcy in a new arms race with drones? – SCMP, October 30, 2023
German Drone Startup Supplying Ukraine Raises $67 Million – Bloomberg, October 24, 2023
Semiconductors and Microelectronics
Broadcom-VMware merger held up as China delays $69bn deal – Financial Times, October 30, 2023
Advanced chip in Huawei Mate 60 Pro smartphone produced on ASML DUV machines: sources – SCMP, October 26, 2023
Think Tank Urges US to Get Even Stricter with China Over Chips – Bloomberg, October 26, 2023
Nvidia says U.S. speeded up new export curbs on AI chips – Reuters, October 24, 2023
Energy and Climate
Nanotech Chips Could Solve Hydrogen’s Iridium Roadblock – IEEE Spectrum, October 30, 2023
Tesla Faces Automated Driving Rival in Geely and Baidu EV – Bloomberg, October 27, 2023
Heat-storing batteries are scaling up to solve one of climate’s dirtiest problems – MIT Technology Review, October 24, 2023
Opinion and Commentary
Lam Research’s China Revenues Show that U.S. Export Controls Aren’t Working; Blanket Policy Denials Are Needed – China Threat Tech, October 26, 2023
The Coming AI Economic Revolution – Foreign Affairs, October 24, 2023
The Return of Nuclear Escalation: How America’s Adversaries Have Hijacked Its Old Deterrence Strategy – Foreign Affairs, October 24, 2023
The advanced silicon chips on which the future depends are all made in Taiwan – here’s why that matters – The Guardian, October 21, 2023
The Last Word
“AI policy is like running a decathlon, where we don’t get to pick and choose which events we do.”
- Ben Buchanan, White House Artificial Intelligence Policy Advisor
About: Tech Diplomacy Now
The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue is the world’s preeminent trusted technology accelerator. As the leader of the new category of Tech Diplomacy, the Institute integrates technology expertise, Silicon Valley strategies, and foreign policy tools to build the Global Trusted Tech Network of governments, companies, organizations and individuals to accelerate the innovation and adoption of trusted technology and ensure technology advances freedom.