AI poses ‘Hiroshima’-style threat to humanity without global rules, says Cooper | Yvette Cooper
AI will pose a “Hiroshima”-like risk to humanity unless governments agree to curb its development, the foreign secretary has warned.
Yvette Cooper called on countries including the US and China to agree on international rules for artificial intelligence, telling the Guardian she believes the issue will dominate foreign policy for the next two years.
In an essay covering his thoughts on everything from emerging technology to Palestine, Cooper said the world is in a dangerous time, especially because of what he sees as the permanent withdrawal of the United States from its role as global arbiter.
In a separate interview with the Guardian, he expressed concerns about artificial intelligence and the Palestinian peace process in particular.
Writing in a piece published by the Chatham House think tank on Monday, the foreign secretary said: “International agreement on nuclear came only after the world saw the terrifying power of the new technology at Hiroshima and asked what would happen if it fell into the wrong hands. We cannot afford to wait for the AI equivalent of Hiroshima before we act.”
He told the Guardian: “People all over the world feel the same; there’s incredible potential here, but there’s also huge risk. We’re already in a world where there are malicious actors who will use technology against us – whether it’s hybrid threats, state-sponsored criminal groups or other types of organisations, extremists and terrorist groups.”
He added: “I think artificial intelligence will become the dominant foreign policy issue we address in the next two years.”
While Cooper identified artificial intelligence as just one of the areas currently threatening global security, he also warned about the impact of the climate crisis, irregular migration and foreign intervention on Western liberal democracy.
His article gives one of the clearest and most comprehensive pictures of the secretary of state’s worldview and where he thinks his department should devote its attention in the coming years.
It comes as senior Labor figures vie with former colleague David Miliband for a place in Andy Burnham’s potential cabinet. tip is given To return to the State Department instead. Miliband will share his own thoughts on foreign policy at his conference titled “Power and its missing guardrails” on Thursday.
In his article, Cooper writes that European powers must adjust to the idea that the United States can no longer guarantee international peace and democracy even after Donald Trump’s presidency ends.
“We should no longer expect the United States to play the role it once did,” he says. “There will continue to be issues on which we disagree. But less dependence on any one ally will make us stronger.”
In his article, he says the UK and EU should negotiate a more permanent solution rather than constantly trying to renegotiate individual elements of their trading arrangements.
The government is putting the finishing touches to the latest round of EU renegotiations as ministers look to strike new deals on agriculture and electricity trade, as well as youth visas.
They were due to be announced at a summit later this month, but the announcement was delayed as EU officials hoped to contact the incoming Burnham government first.
In his article, Cooper argues: “We need to develop a new, structured relationship with Europe, leading to the development of new security architecture, with a more European NATO at its core. And we must establish our relationship with the EU as a closer but stable partnership rather than a relationship based on endless, escalating bargaining.”
But he did not say what form a more stable partnership should take. Burnham told the Guardian last year that she wanted Britain to rejoin the bloc but said she would not seek to move in that direction if she became prime minister anytime soon.
He also warns that countries risk forgetting to achieve peace in Palestine as Trump becomes preoccupied with the war in Iran and turns the world’s attention to other regions.
He told the Guardian: “You have a 20-point plan… [but] My biggest concern is him falling down.”
