UK, US refuse to sign communique of AI summit Vance criticized EU regulation too heavy

The final communique of the Artificial Intelligence Summit hosted by France called for stronger international governance of artificial intelligence (AI), but the United States and the United Kingdom, among others, refused to sign the communique.

Prior to the release of the communique, US Vice President Vance expressed strong dissatisfaction with the European Union's strict regulation of social media platforms and artificial intelligence in a speech, saying that foreign governments consider tightening the screws on US technology companies.

In a speech at the summit, Vance defended the U.S. position, saying it was important to maintain U.S. leadership in the artificial intelligence industry and oppose excessive regulation that would stifle the booming industry, which is dominated by the United States.

Dave Pares, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Starmer, told reporters on Tuesday that while Britain had "worked closely" with France throughout the summit, "we were not able to agree on every part of the leaders' declaration."

The communique, signed by 60 participating countries or organizations, lists several priorities, including "strengthening international cooperation and promoting coordination in international governance" and ensuring that AI is accessible to all.

Highlighting the conflicting positions on the issue, Europe wants to speed up the development of a framework for AI, while Vance said policies should be as growth-friendly as possible.

Before leaving for lunch at the Elysee Palace, he was even more emphatic about his reluctance to co-operate with dictatorships. Media analysis, Vance was referring to China.

The British government refused to sign the communique, saying it was not in the "national interest". "You should not expect us to join initiatives that we do not believe are in the national interest," Prime Minister Starmer's spokesman said. He said Britain had no intention of agreeing with all those who supported the communique, but would continue to work with France on other matters.

China and India, the summit's co-host, are among the signatories. According to a communique released by the office of French President Emmanuel Macron, participants in the Paris summit come from more than 100 countries.