Big Tech giants Google, Microsoft, ChatGPT maker OpenAI and AI startup Anthropic announced on July 26 they would form a new industry watchdog group to help regulate AI development.
In a joint statement released on the Google blog, the companies revealed their new Frontier Model Forum aimed at monitoring the “safe and responsible” development of frontier AI models.
It pointed out that while governments across the world have already begun putting efforts towards regulating AI development and deployment, “ further work is needed on safety standards and evaluations.”
“The Forum will be one vehicle for cross-organizational discussions and actions on AI safety and responsibility.”
The current core goals of the initiative are to advance research on AI safety, identify best practices for responsible development and deployment of frontier models, collaboration with governments and civil leaders and supporting efforts to develop applications.
Membership to the Forum is open to organizations that fit the predefined criteria, which includes developing and deploying frontier models.
“Companies creating AI technology have a responsibility to ensure that it is safe, secure, and remains under human control,” said Brad Smith, the vice chair and president of Microsoft.
“This initiative is a vital step to bring the tech sector together in advancing AI responsibly and tackling the challenges so that it benefits all of humanity.”
According to the announcement, the Frontier Model Forum will establish an advisory board in the coming months in order to direct the group’s priorities and strategy. It also says the founding companies plan to consult “civil society and governments” regarding the design of the Forum.
Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield has resigned from the Labour Party.
The 53-year-old MP is the first to jump ship since the general election and in her resignation letter criticised the prime minister for accepting thousands of pounds worth of gifts.
She told Sir Keir Starmer the reason for leaving now is “the programme of policies you seem determined to stick to”, despite their unpopularity with the electorate and MPs.
In her letter she accused the prime minister and his top team of “sleaze, nepotism and apparent avarice” which are “off the scale”.
“I’m so ashamed of what you and your inner circle have done to tarnish and humiliate our once proud party,” she said.
Since December 2019, the prime minister received £107,145 in gifts, benefits, and hospitality – a specific category in parliament’s register of MPs’ interests.
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Ms Duffield, who has previously clashed with the prime minister on gender issues, attacked the government for pursuing “cruel and unnecessary” policies as she resigned the Labour whip.
She criticised the decision to keep the two-child benefit cap and means-test the winter fuel payment, and accused the prime minister of “hypocrisy” over his acceptance of free gifts from donors.
“Since the change of government in July, the revelations of hypocrisy have been staggering and increasingly outrageous,” she said.
“I cannot put into words how angry I and my colleagues are at your total lack of understanding about how you have made us all appear.”
Ms Duffield also mentioned the recent “treatment of Diane Abbott”, who said she thought she had been barred from standing by Labour ahead of the general election, before Sir Keir said she would be allowed to defend her Hackney North and Stoke Newington seat for the party.
Her relationship with the Labour leadership has long been strained and her decision to quit the party comes after seven other Labour MPs were suspended for rebelling by voting for a motion calling for the two-child benefit cap to be abolished.
“Someone with far-above-average wealth choosing to keep the Conservatives’ two-child limit to benefit payments which entrenches children in poverty, while inexplicably accepting expensive personal gifts of designer suits and glasses costing more than most of those people can grasp – this is entirely undeserving of holding the title of Labour prime minister,” she said.
Ms Duffield said she will continue to represent her constituents as an independent MP, “guided by my core Labour values”.