Kishida to announce new AI rules framework at OECD meeting

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will announce the creation of an international framework for regulating and using generative AI, at a meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to be held in early May, according to several government officials. More than 40 countries are expected to participate, and Japan is aiming to take the lead in creating international AI rules.

According to several government officials, the OECD meeting will be held in Paris, where its headquarters is located. Kishida will make a speech on international governance of generative AI.

According to a draft of the speech, Kishida will state that “AI is an innovative technology that affects all of humanity, and it is important that many countries have a common understanding.” While expressing hope that generative AI will contribute to solving issues such as health care and climate change, the prime minister will stress that “we must also fight against shadow aspects, such as the risk of disinformation,” and request the cooperation of the OECD.

Last year, as the chair of the Group of Seven, Japan proposed the Hiroshima AI Process to discuss issues related to generative AI and compiled the first comprehensive international agreement. The new international framework will invite countries, mainly OECD member countries that support the outcome of that process.

In addition to the G7 countries, the framework is expected to include the European Union member countries, South Korea and Singapore. The Japanese government intends to continue to encourage other countries to participate in the framework.

In his speech, Kishida will refer to the international guiding principles and code of conduct for dealing with the risks of generative AI compiled in the Hiroshima AI Process, and appeal for “cooperation with the framework so that people around the world can use AI safely, securely and reliably.”

Regarding measures against disinformation, Kishida says “it is also important to establish technical measures,” and declares Japan’s support for efforts toward social implementation of technology to verify sender information.

Japan will also promote the usefulness of Originator Profile (OP) and offer support for its broad implementation. OP is technology which enables users to confirm the authenticity of online data by embedding an electric identifier confirmed by third party entities in each piece of information.

In conjunction with Kishida’s speech, arrangements are being made to show at the venue a video introducing the risks of AI and the progress of the Hiroshima AI Process. In the video, OP is to be introduced as a useful technology for identifying false information.