The UK Government and the Nigerian Government are teaming up to address safety and security concerns related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) models, as announced during the Nigeria Innovation Summit (NIS) in Lagos, held in October 2023. The NIS event, supported by key players in the innovation ecosystem, brought together a substantial gathering of young Nigerian innovators.
Addressing the group of innovators during the event, Kumar Iyer the Director-General of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, emphasised the need to acknowledge the risks associated with AI, alongside its many advantages. He highlighted that AI is now being used by non-governmental entities for different purposes, including carrying out attacks on nations. Furthermore, AI has significantly boosted the capabilities of terrorists, enabling them to develop weapons and carry out cyber-attacks more effectively.
Regarding the partnership with Nigeria, Iyer emphasised the necessity of global cooperation in addressing AI-related concerns. He highlighted that no single country can combat these issues in isolation, as wrongdoing transcends national borders. The UK is eager to work with Nigeria in exploring the potential of AI.
Iyer mentioned that the UK is hosting the AI Safety Summit on November 1st and 2nd, which is a significant step in promoting international cooperation to address AI-related risks and threats. This collaboration is essential for working effectively with their partners.
The UK’s goal is to work together with Nigeria to improve AI datasets in sectors like education, healthcare, and agricultural diseases that are specific to Nigeria. They also want to prioritise AI safety, especially in dealing with security risks linked to advanced AI models.
Iyer pointed out that although AI isn’t a new idea, recent breakthroughs in generative AI and big language models have greatly changed the tech space. The UK’s strategy for handling AI risks is cautious, and there are no immediate plans to create a large regulatory agency solely for AI risks in specific sectors. Instead, Iyer recommended that governments worldwide take a gradual and extended approach to crafting AI regulations.
