TOKYO: Leaders of the Group of Seven advanced economies are expected to agree to present their views on potentials and challenges involving generative artificial intelligence by the end of the year, Japanese government officials said Wednesday.

Generative AI tools, including the ChatGPT chatbot, are one of key agenda items when the G-7 leaders meet in Hiroshima, western Japan, Friday through Sunday.

The accelerating use of generative AI has triggered concerns over the protection of personal information and copyrights as well as the possible spread of misinformation.

At a meeting in Gunma Prefecture, near Tokyo, in April, the G-7 digital and technology ministers underlined “the need to take stock in the near term of the opportunities and challenges of these technologies and to continue promoting safety and trust as these technologies develop.”

The ministers agreed “to convene future G-7 discussions on generative AI which could include topics such as governance, how to safeguard intellectual property rights including copyright, promote transparency, address disinformation, including foreign information manipulation, and how to responsibly utilize these technologies.”

In a group interview with Japanese news organizations, including Jiji Press, Monday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he wants the G-7 leaders to agree on a mechanism to discuss rulemaking on generative AI. He said he wants to put the mechanism that he called “Hiroshima AI Process” into action as soon as possible.

The G-7 will hold a ministerial meeting on generative AI later this year, according to a Japanese government official. The G-7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.

Still, there are differences in the group over how generative AI should be regulated.

While European countries are moving to strictly regulate the technology, Japan and the United States believe that flexible regulations, such as guidelines, would contribute to its further development.

Japan “will lead discussions on the potentials of generative AI use in a responsible way to chart a future path,” Kishida said in the interview.

JIJI Press