At the AI Action Summit in Paris, two significant initiatives aimed at directing artificial intelligence toward public good were unveiled.
First up is Current AI, a foundation led by French President Emmanuel Macron. The goal? To ensure AI helps society in meaningful ways. With backing from nine governments, including Finland and Germany, alongside support from companies like Google and Salesforce, Current AI plans to change the AI landscape. Their agenda includes broadening access to quality data, investing in open-source tools, and measuring the social and environmental effects of AI. Key areas of focus will be healthcare, linguistic diversity, science, and ensuring AI is trusted and safe. Macron expressed confidence, saying, “Current AI can change the world of AI,” highlighting the need to share resources and promote innovation across France, Europe, and the globe.
The second initiative is the Coalition for Environmentally Sustainable AI, which aims to unite stakeholders across the AI spectrum for dialogue and joint projects. So far, it counts 91 partners, including tech companies and international organizations, with leadership coming from France, the UN Environment Program, and the International Telecommunication Union. Karianne Tung, Norway’s minister of digitalization, emphasized the need for responsible energy use in AI, stating that collaboration is essential for sustainable tech advancement.
The coalition aims to maintain momentum for future gatherings, like AI summits and COP meetings. Their mission is to connect those committed to using AI responsibly and to showcase collaborative efforts in science and environmental solutions.
Martin Tisné, the founder of Current AI and an organizer of the summit, stressed the importance of this initiative in guiding public funding toward critical AI projects, particularly in healthcare. He pointed out that we have a unique opportunity to shape AI’s future for better access to jobs and services. “We’ve seen the drawbacks of unchecked tech development,” Tisné said, advocating for innovation that uplifts everyone.
Current AI boasts a $400 million investment from the French government and aims to secure $2.5 billion over the next five years to fuel its initiatives. UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the need for worldwide cooperation to harness AI for sustainable development, warning against widening global inequalities. He noted that Current AI represents a significant step toward building global AI capacity, promising a forthcoming report on effective financing and capacity-building models.
Mitchell Baker from the Mozilla Foundation commended the open-source shift, pointing out that just a year ago, open-source AI was seen as a risk. Now, there’s a collective understanding that openness is crucial for safe, public-interest-driven AI. She emphasized the necessity for infrastructure that supports societal needs rather than just profit motives.
Mike Bracken from Public Digital praised the focus on public interest as a major outcome of the summit, noting that the foundation already has a budget and backing from various funders. He remarked on the rarity of institutions dedicated to creating public AI assets that impact lives positively, calling this a groundbreaking development.