AI Summit declaration urges democratising resources and trusted AI systems

Endorsed by 88 countries, the AI Summit declaration calls for trusted and energy-efficient AI systems, democratising access to AI resources, and building human capital for inclusive growth

The AI Impact Summit has called for international cooperation and stakeholder engagement around seven principles — development of human capital, broadening access for social empowerment, trustworthiness of AI systems, energy efficiency of AI systems, use of AI in science, democratising AI resources, and the use of AI for economic growth and social good. 

The declaration was endorsed by 88 countries and international organisations. 

Trusted AI emerged as one of the key tenets of the declaration. Scientists and researchers at the Summit emphasised the need to develop trusted AI systems to enable adoption at scale. 

“Noting that deepening our understanding of the potential security aspects remains important, we recognise the importance of security in AI systems, industry-led voluntary measures, and the adoption of technical solutions and appropriate policy frameworks that enable innovation while promoting the public interest throughout the AI’s lifecycle,” the declaration said. 

To that effect, the joint declaration calls for the development of a voluntary and non-binding Trusted AI Commons — a collaborative platform consolidating technical resources, tools, benchmarks and best practices that all can access and adapt to their contexts — as well as a voluntary guidance note. 

The declaration also underscores the need to democratise AI resources rather than allow them to remain concentrated in a few advanced economies. “Robust digital infrastructure and meaningful and affordable connectivity are prerequisites for deploying AI and unlocking its full potential. To this effect, we take note of the Charter for the Democratic Diffusion of AI as a voluntary and non-binding framework to promote access to foundational AI resources, support locally relevant innovation, and strengthen resilient AI ecosystems while respecting national laws.” 

The declaration also highlights the importance of developing energy-efficient and affordable AI systems, expanding skilling and knowledge access, and advancing cross-border AI solutions, information, services and opportunities. 

The Summit attracted investment commitments of over $250 billion across the infrastructure layer of the AI architecture, along with around $20 billion pledged by venture capital firms. 

At the first global AI Summit held at Bletchley Park, UK, in 2023, several countries — including the US, China and India — had signed a declaration agreeing to work together to manage risks from frontier AI models. The subsequent summits in Seoul and Paris shifted the focus to safety, innovation, inclusivity and sustainable AI. 

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