FII7 Highlights Importance of AI

The seventh Future Investment Initiative (FII7) forum kicked off in Riyadh on Tuesday. (FII)
The seventh Future Investment Initiative (FII7) forum kicked off in Riyadh on Tuesday. (FII)
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FII7 Highlights Importance of AI

The seventh Future Investment Initiative (FII7) forum kicked off in Riyadh on Tuesday. (FII)
The seventh Future Investment Initiative (FII7) forum kicked off in Riyadh on Tuesday. (FII)

The seventh Future Investment Initiative (FII7) forum kicked off in Riyadh on Tuesday under the theme “The New Compass,” focusing on Artificial Intelligence on its first day.

The conference presented a comprehensive overview of AI reality and several recommendations and solutions to ensure its safe and responsible use.

One of the conference’s sessions discussed the rapidly evolving AI models and how they shape the global economy, enabling small teams to develop science and technology and advance humanity.

The developments are driven by rapid advances in computing power, exponential growth in the volume of labeled data, significant reductions in training costs, increased capital directed toward developing AI, and democratized access to its advanced models.

Artificial intelligence faces short and medium-term global challenges, including the use of AI for disinformation, cyber-attacks and biological weapons.

However, the impact of AI challenges and the level of preparedness to confront them remains the major challenge, as world leaders must be ready to act within the framework of appropriate governance and policies.

The session presented recommendations to governments and the private and investment sectors:

- Boosting AI alignment: all AI companies must document and disclose how they are committed to implementing AI alignment, developing a set of basic requirements for releasing AI models, and supporting the development of early warning systems.

AI developers must conduct comprehensive model assessments before release, make the assessment results publicly available, and increase funding for top-level AI alignment research.

- Establish a unified and inclusive governance regime for AI: global challenges associated with AI can only be addressed through a global approach, including appropriate representation of emerging markets.

- Prepare for the transition: active investment in skills development and social safety net to ensure a just transition for workers displaced by AI.

Recommendations for the private sector and investment sector:

- Promote transparency and accountability: ensuring a greater commitment, transparency, and accountability to AI alignment by establishing plans detailing the strategies and processes that will be implemented to deliver it.

- Reducing artificial intelligence challenges: governments should cooperate to develop sufficient global response capacity, adopt a safety-based approach to developing AI, and ensure the security of its modern facilities and systems.

The initiative seeks to become a leading global platform through its commitment to working on solutions that everyone can adopt, building a shared understanding of this technology, and investing to increase global response capacity.

FII will establish an AI Coalition, bringing together investors, corporations, government leaders, and academics from developed and emerging markets to engage in a frank and candid dialogue on the critical issue of AI alignment.



Trump’s Tariffs Mean Europe Must Take Control of Its Future, Says ECB's Lagarde

European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde arrives to address a press conference on the Eurozone's monetary policy, at the central bank's headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on January 30, 2025. (AFP)
European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde arrives to address a press conference on the Eurozone's monetary policy, at the central bank's headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on January 30, 2025. (AFP)
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Trump’s Tariffs Mean Europe Must Take Control of Its Future, Says ECB's Lagarde

European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde arrives to address a press conference on the Eurozone's monetary policy, at the central bank's headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on January 30, 2025. (AFP)
European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde arrives to address a press conference on the Eurozone's monetary policy, at the central bank's headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on January 30, 2025. (AFP)

The likely implementation of tariffs imposed by the United States on April 2 means Europe will have to take better control of its future, European Central Bank (ECB) head Christine Lagarde said on Monday.

"I've tried to describe this as a moment for our Europe... and I see it as the start of a march towards independence," Lagarde said in an interview on France Inter radio

"He calls it Liberation Day in the United States. I see it as a moment when we must together decide to take better control of our destiny, and I think it's a step towards independence."

Trump is set to announce a comprehensive tariff proposal on what he's called "Liberation Day" this Wednesday, after implementing levies on aluminium, steel, and automobiles, along with increased tariffs on all goods from China.

"He's someone who always takes a transactional approach. He applies this kind of principle, which is more in the realm of business, to the management of international relations," Lagarde said.

The ECB President reaffirmed her estimate of a decrease of about 0.3 percentage points for Europe in the first year of tariffs on US imports from Europe.

She added that if Europe responds with reciprocal measures, growth will be even lower, down 0.5 percentage points.