US, UK and EU to sign world’s first international AI treaty

The US, UK, and European Union are set to make history today by signing the world’s first legally binding international treaty on artificial intelligence (AI).

The landmark agreement, known as the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, will be open for signatures in Vilnius, Lithuania.

This groundbreaking treaty, adopted in May after two years of negotiations involving 57 countries, aims to address the risks posed by AI while promoting responsible innovation. It marks a significant milestone in global efforts to ensure AI technologies respect human rights and democratic values.

Lord Chancellor and justice secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Artificial Intelligence has the capacity to radically improve the responsiveness and effectiveness of public services, and turbocharge economic growth. However, we must not let AI shape us – we must shape AI.”

She added: “This convention is a major step to ensuring that these new technologies can be harnessed without eroding our oldest values, like human rights and the rule of law.”

The treaty establishes a legal framework covering the entire lifecycle of AI systems and adopts a risk-based approach to their design, development, use, and decommissioning. It requires signatories to carefully consider potential negative consequences of using AI systems.

Key provisions of the convention include transparency and oversight requirements, measures to prevent and mitigate risks, ensuring AI systems respect equality and privacy rights, and safeguards to prevent AI from undermining democratic institutions and processes. The treaty also mandates the establishment of independent oversight mechanisms in each signatory country.

Covering both public and private sector use of AI, the convention offers two compliance options for regulating the private sector: parties may be directly bound by relevant provisions or take alternative measures while respecting international obligations on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.

Council of Europe secretary general Marija Pejčinović Burić said: “The Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence is a first-of-its-kind, global treaty that will ensure that Artificial Intelligence upholds people’s rights. It is a response to the need for an international legal standard supported by states in different continents which share the same values to harness the benefits of Artificial intelligence, while mitigating the risks.”

While the treaty primarily involves Council of Europe member states, it is also open to non-European countries with the US becoming an inaugural signatory.

The UK government has stated it will work closely with regulators, devolved administrations, and local authorities to implement the convention’s requirements once ratified.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle, emphasised the treaty’s importance in building public trust: “AI holds the potential to be the driving force behind new economic growth, a productivity revolution and true transformation in our public services, but that ambition can only be achieved if people have faith and trust in the innovations which will bring about that change.”