Countries from across the globe have signed 'The Bletchley Declaration' while at the world's first ever AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park.
It was the home of British World War Two codebreaking; a place where technological innovation and human endeavour came together to made groundbreaking achievements that have helped shape the world we live in today.
Now, Bletchley Park has made history again while playing host to the world's AI Safety Summit on 1st and 2nd November.
The US, France, Singapore, Italy, Japan and China are among the nations who have joined the UK government and tech leaders in talking about the risks and opportunities that Artificial Intelligence brings.
World leaders such as Vice President Kamala Harris, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, China’s tech vice minister Wu Zhaohui and United Nations' Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are among the list of attendees, along with the likes of Elon Musk.
28 countries and the EU have now signed 'The Bletchley Declaration,' agreeing to identify the key opportunities and risks of AI, build a global understanding of Frontier AI risks and collaborate on AI scientific research.
Nations signing the declaration the Middle East, Brazil, France, India, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.
Agreeing to the urgent need to "understand and collectively manage potential risks through a new joint global effort to ensure AI is developed and deployed in a safe, responsible way for the benefit of the global community."
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "This is a landmark achievement that sees the world’s greatest AI powers agree on the urgency behind understanding the risks of AI – helping ensure the long-term future of our children and grandchildren.
"Under the UK’s leadership, more than 25 countries at the AI Safety Summit have stated a shared responsibility to address AI risks and take forward vital international collaboration on frontier AI safety and research.
"The UK is once again leading the world at the forefront of this new technological frontier by kickstarting this conversation, which will see us work together to make AI safe and realise all its benefits for generations to come."
This unique Bletchley Park site was previously a vast Victorian estate, where parts including the Mansion still survive, expanding during wartime to accommodate Codebreakers Huts and Blocks.
During World War Two, the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS), now known as the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), was based at Bletchley Park.
It grew from a small team of specialists to a vast intelligence factory of thousands of dedicated women and men. This extraordinary combination of brilliant and determined people and cutting-edge technology contributed significantly to Allied victory. In tough conditions, they provided vital intelligence and developed pioneering technological innovation that had a direct and profound influence on the outcome of the war.
Iain Stewart MP for Milton Keynes South told MKFM: “I am absolutely delighted Bletchley Park has been able to host the AI Safety Summit, the birthplace of modern computing being the venue for conversations about the future use of artificial intelligence.
“Having met with the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology this morning, they both agree with me that the AI Safety Summit has been a huge success.
“In particular, the Bletchley Declaration is a landmark statement which has been signed by multiple countries including the United States of America and China to understanding the risks of AI.”
