Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged Thursday to take the lead in formulating global regulations on the appropriate use of generative artificial intelligence technology through a new framework involving like-minded nations.
In a speech at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Ministerial Council Meeting, Kishida expressed his appreciation to other countries for the launch earlier in the day of the Hiroshima AI Process Friends Group.
The creation of the Hiroshima AI Process was agreed upon at the Group of Seven summit hosted in May last year by Kishida in the western Japanese city, his home constituency. He attended the OECD's ministerial gathering as Japan serves as its chair in 2024.
"Let us collaborate as nations united by a common purpose to address the universal opportunities and risks brought about by AI, and work towards achieving safe, secure and trustworthy AI," Kishida said in Paris.
The Friends group was set up as the world has been seeking ways to harness the benefits of rapidly developing generative AI tools amid fears that the spread of disinformation through misuse of the technology could threaten democracy and political stability.
Kishida also promised to work together with other OECD members in tackling climate change and various other global issues while pursuing free and open investment and trade. This year marks the 60th anniversary of Tokyo joining the Paris-based club.
In a bid to grapple with environmental problems, Kishida welcomed the recent establishment of a ministerial dialogue on decarbonization, called the Inclusive Forum on Carbon Mitigation Approaches, which is the OECD's flagship initiative.
"The climate crisis is a challenge common to all humankind that cannot be postponed, and it demands a holistic effort from all nations," Kishida said.
On the international trade front, Kishida voiced readiness to work in tandem with other countries to maintain and bolster a "rules-based, free and fair economic order, with the World Trade Organization at its core," with China apparently in mind.
"We also need to strengthen our cooperation to ensure economic resilience and economic security, such as addressing economic coercion and nonmarket policies and practices, enhancing supply chain resilience, and protecting critical technologies," he said.
Economic coercion has been condemned as a tool to attain political objectives, with some democracies said to be adversely affected by the alleged utilization of such tactics by authoritarian nations.
Kishida, meanwhile, committed to helping expand the membership of the 38-member OECD so that economies from around the world, including countries in Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe as well as Southeast Asia, can participate in the organization.
"As one of the few Asian members, Japan will continue to act as a bridge between the OECD and the Asian region, contributing to the OECD's continued leadership in the global economy," he said.
Kishida visited Paris on the first stop on his six-day overseas trip that is also set to take him to Brazil and Paraguay during Japan's Golden Week holiday period in early May.
