The United States and the United Kingdom have refused to sign an international agreement on artificial intelligence (AI) development at a summit in Paris, citing concerns over regulation.
Hosted by France on February 10 and 11, the AI Action Summit brought together leaders from over 100 countries, including policymakers, researchers, and international organizations.
Sixty nations signed a joint statement outlining key priorities: improving AI accessibility, ensuring ethical and safe development, preventing monopolies, protecting workers, reducing environmental harm, and strengthening global cooperation.
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The agreement also proposed launching a public-interest AI platform, an incubator for development, and research centers to study AI’s impact on jobs and workplaces.
According to a report on February 11 from Reuters, the US took a strong stance against broad regulations, warning that excessive oversight could slow AI progress.
US Vice President JD Vance criticized heavy AI regulation, arguing that restricting development now “would mean paralyzing one of the most promising technologies we have seen in generations”. He also stated:
We believe that excessive regulation of the AI sector could kill a transformative industry just as it is taking off.
Additionally, Vance rejected AI content moderation requirements, calling them a form of “authoritarian censorship”.
While the UK did not take as strong a stance as the US, it also opted out of the agreement, choosing to follow its own AI strategy rather than commit to international rules. The UK government expressed concerns about certain elements of the agreement, noting that its approach differed from the one presented at its own AI safety summit in 2023.
Recently, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a plan to integrate AI nationwide. How? Read the full story.
