The writer is an economist, anchor, and geopolitical analyst
and the President of All Pakistan Private Schools’ Federation
president@Pakistanprivateschools.com
The Paris AI Summit, convened in February 2025, aimed to forge a global consensus on the governance of artificial intelligence (AI). The summit saw participation from numerous global leaders, tech moguls, and policy influencers, focusing on AI’s ethical use, sustainability, and inclusivity. However, a significant outcome was the refusal of the United States and the United Kingdom to sign a declaration titled “Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence.” The United States and United Kingdom refused to sign an Artificial Intelligence Action Summit declaration calling for policies “ensuring AI is open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy”. While Europe is seeking to regulate and invest, China is focused on expanding access through state-backed tech giants, and the US is pushing for a hands-off approach in terms of regulation. Some leaders at the summit emphasised the need for the creation of a diverse and inclusive AI ecosystem that is human rights-based, ethical, safe and trustworthy. Others voiced concerns that overregulation of the industry could stifle innovation and development of the technology. The summit also underscored the importance of bridging digital divides and supporting developing countries in AI development to reduce inequalities and ensure broader access to AI benefits. The Paris AI Summit, also known as the “AI for Humanity” conference, was held in 2018 with the aim of promoting the responsible development and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). French President Emmanuel Macron, who co-hosted the summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, called the summit a “wake-up call for European strategy” as the continent has fallen behind in the AI development race. The declaration in question advocated for AI to be open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure, and trustworthy. It was signed by a diverse group of countries including France, China, India, and the European Union, highlighting a broad consensus on the need for a cooperative international framework for AI. The US, under the Trump administration, has expressed a clear preference for fostering innovation without the constraints of what they term “excessive regulation.” US Vice President JD Vance articulated concerns that too stringent regulations could “kill a transformative industry just as it’s taking off.” This reflects a policy direction prioritizing technological advancement and economic competitiveness, particularly in light of global tech rivalry, notably with China. Vance also highlighted issues around ideological bias in AI systems, emphasizing that American AI should remain free from such biases, which could imply resistance to international norms that might impose values or cultural policies not aligned with US perspectives. The US has invested heavily in AI, viewing it as a critical component of national security and economic strategy. The refusal to sign might also be a strategic move to maintain flexibility in leveraging AI for these purposes without being bound by international commitments that could limit such uses. The UK’s decision not to sign was based on the declaration’s perceived lack of practical clarity on global governance and its failure to address national security adequately. This suggests a cautious approach towards international agreements that might not provide clear mechanisms for implementation or could compromise national security interests. The UK, like the US, seems to favour a regulatory environment that does not stifle innovation but rather supports it. Concerns over the declaration’s vagueness might stem from a desire to tailor AI regulation more specifically to national policies and needs. The divide between countries like those in the EU, pushing for regulated, inclusive AI development, and nations like the US and UK, advocating for less regulation to spur innovation, illustrates a fundamental tension. While inclusivity aims at ensuring AI benefits are widespread and not monopolized by a few, the fear of stifling innovation through overregulation is palpable. The reluctance of the US and UK to sign reflects concerns about how much national autonomy should be ceded to global governance. This raises questions about the effectiveness of international treaties in an area as rapidly evolving as AI, where national strategies often prioritize domestic benefits over global harmony. There’s an economic dimension where countries fear losing competitive edges by adhering to regulations that might not be universally adopted. The US’s position might also influence other nations to reconsider their regulatory stance to remain competitive in the AI market. The non-signatory stance of the US and UK could lead to a fragmented AI regulatory landscape, potentially hampering global cooperation and leading to a patchwork of national policies that might not align well internationally. Without a unified approach, ethical considerations like privacy, bias, and misuse of AI might be inadequately addressed globally, leading to disparities in AI’s impact on society. This situation underscores the ongoing debate about how best to balance the need for innovation with ethical governance. The US and UK’s approach might encourage an environment of rapid technological advancement but at the potential cost of ethical oversight.
To Build on the Summit’s Momentum, Future Initiatives Should Prioritize Inclusivity, Diversity, and Binding Commitments to Ensure AI Benefits Humanity as a Whole!
The US appeared to have a solid grip on AI technology dominance, but in recently, China has made a bang with the surprise global launch of DeepSeek, an AI chatbot similar to the US-built ChatGPT but which, its developers said, was developed for a fraction of the cost. Some countries have blocked access to DeepSeek, citing concerns about security and the way in which the system would handle users’ personal data. OpenAI immediately jumped to the front of the race when it launched ChatGPT on November 30, 2022. ChatGPT became the fastest-growing consumer app in the world two months after its launch, attracting more than 100 million users by January. From there, other competitors rushed to enter the race, such as Google’s Gemini and billionaire Elon Musk’s Grok. US President Donald Trump made it clear from the start of his second term on January 20 that he has given full support for the development of AI in the US. Last month, he announced a $500bn private sector investment to fund infrastructure for AI with the goal of outpacing rival nations in the development of this technology. Calling it the largest AI infrastructure project in history “by far”, Trump said the joint venture involving OpenAI, Softbank and Oracle and called Stargate will build data centres and create more than 100,000 jobs in the US. In March 2023, China’s tech giant Baidu unveiled its answer to ChatGPT, a platform called Ernie Bot, which suffered from early stumbles as the AI race heated up. But at the end of January, the Chinese startup DeepSeek sent shockwaves through the global tech sector with the release of its AI chatbot model, whose capabilities rival the creations of Google and OpenAI. DeepSeek-R1’s creator says its model was developed using less advanced and fewer computer chips than employed by the US tech giants. The model’s development team said it had spent less than $6m on computing power to train the model – a fraction of the multibillion-dollar AI budgets used by US tech giants. The summit’s goal was to create a smoother and less complicated business environment for AI development in Europe. But it’s going to be very difficult to achieve, there will be a lot of talk and very little walk because the European Union has already enacted the most comprehensive, broad, overarching law on the use and development of artificial intelligence of any area in the world. It would be difficult to unravel the EU Artificial Intelligence Act because it has already gone into effect in some places. It is a wake-up call because it’s about economic growth, if we don’t see the economic growth spreading out beyond the US to the rest of the world, then we’re going to have a very rocky few years to come. The refusal of the US and UK to sign the AI pact at the Paris Summit highlights significant geopolitical and ideological tensions regarding AI governance. While aiming to protect national interests and promote innovation, this stance might challenge the development of a cohesive international framework for AI, potentially leading to a future where AI development is characterized by both rapid advancement and regulatory disparities. In the journey forward from this summit, Pakistan must prioritize inclusivity, diversity, and firm commitments in AI development. By doing so, we ensure that AI advances not just a select few, but benefits humanity universally, bridging the current gap and propelling Pakistan into a leading role in the global AI landscape. As Pakistan struggles to catch up with the rapidly advancing AI landscape, the Paris AI Summit serves as a stark reminder of the immense ground we need to cover. While the world’s leading nations converge to shape the future of AI, Pakistan’s absence from this discourse is a glaring concern. Our country’s lack of investment in AI research, infrastructure, and education has resulted in a significant brain drain, with our best talent-seeking opportunities abroad. The Paris AI Summit’s emphasis on responsible AI development, ethics, and inclusivity is a clarion call for Pakistan to re-evaluate its priorities and join the global conversation on AI. The Paris AI Summit serves as a wake-up call for Pakistan to recognize the importance of AI and invest in its development, education, and research. Pakistan can explore collaboration opportunities with other countries, international organizations, and industries to access knowledge, expertise, and resources. Pakistan needs to develop a comprehensive national AI strategy, outlining its vision, goals, and priorities for AI development, deployment, and governance.
The Paris AI Summit marked a pivotal moment in the discourse on AI’s societal impact, providing a much-needed platform for dialogue on critical issues like job displacement, bias, and ethical concerns. While the summit successfully fostered international collaboration and led to the establishment of key ethical frameworks such as the “Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace,” the outcomes were somewhat tempered by their non-binding nature. This lack of enforceability highlighted the ongoing challenge of regulating a technology that evolves rapidly. Moreover, the summit’s representation was critiqued for not fully encompassing the diverse voices of all stakeholders, particularly those from marginalized communities who are often most affected by AI decisions. The focus on technological solutions over broader socio-economic reforms also points to a need for a more holistic approach to AI governance. Despite these criticisms, the summit undeniably catalyzed greater awareness and investment in AI ethics, urging a more cautious, inclusive, and responsible trajectory for AI development moving forward. Momentum is building, and we must forge onward. The next AI Summit in India will be a critical moment to review the progress on these announcements and ensure organizations—those fighting for open and Public AI infrastructure—have a seat at the table. The Paris AI Summit was a necessary step towards promoting responsible AI development and deployment. While it had a significant impact on the AI landscape, it also faced criticisms and limitations. To build on the summit’s momentum, future initiatives should prioritize inclusivity, diversity, and binding commitments to ensure that AI benefits humanity as a whole. These projects point the way forward in the use of open-source AI for creative expression, a powerful – and publicly available – digital addition to the toolkits of today’s creators. We believe AI is the modern technology with the most potential to foster creativity, innovation and free expression across the globe. As AI continues to evolve, the need for a nuanced dialogue that reconciles innovation with ethical, inclusive practices remains paramount.