By Gerhard Mey
CUMNOCK, Scotland, Sept 17 (Reuters) – Britain’s King Charles will urge leading artificial intelligence executives to ensure the technology remains “firmly in the service of humanity” when he meets them in Scotland on Thursday, as warnings mount about AI’s potential risks.
Charles will host executives from Nvidia, Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Anthropic and other companies at a crucial time for the industry, as concern grows that AI safety efforts are lagging behind the rapid development of increasingly powerful systems.
In recent weeks, debate has intensified over whether the industry can regulate itself or whether it should be forced to slow the pace of development.
CHARLES TO CALL FOR REASSURANCE ON AUTONOMOUS AGENTS
Charles will tell executives that the industry needs to reassure people that they will not lose control of their lives to autonomous AI agents.
“The decisions taken at this formative time will shape the world inherited by future generations,” the king will say in a speech opening the meeting at his Dumfries House in Scotland, according to excerpts released by the palace.
“The task before you is not merely to advance technology, but to ensure that it remains firmly in the service of humanity, community and the natural world.”
Attendees are expected to include Nvidia founder and chief executive Jensen Huang, Google DeepMind founder and chairman Demis Hassabis, OpenAI Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar and Britain’s Minister for Artificial Intelligence Kanishka Narayan.
Paolo Benanti, an adviser to Pope Leo XIV who has called for governments to slow AI development, is also expected to attend.
DEBATE ON THE THREAT TO HUMANITY
The debate over AI has been thrust back into the spotlight after two Anthropic researchers warned that the rapidly advancing technology could lead to human extinction in the not-too-distant future.
Anthropic Chief Executive Dario Amodei has also called for companies to slow the pace of AI development.
However, that has sparked an international debate over whether some executives have ulterior motives, such as setting rules that preserve the lead of particular companies, acting now to avoid a broader government backlash, or simply slowing spending in the race to develop AI.
While the meeting in Scotland is not expected to produce any binding agreements, and Charles is not known for his technological expertise, it highlights how he, first as Prince of Wales and now as king, has used his position to convene discussions on a range of global issues.
In references to the risks around AI, Charles has also warned about the potential impact to the environment, reflecting his decades of campaigning on the natural world.
Buckingham Palace said the discussions would consider whether a shared set of principles could guide the future application of AI, “not merely as a driver of capability and efficiency, but as a tool that upholds human dignity and contributes to the flourishing of both people and the planet”.
(Writing by Kate Holton in London. Editing by Mark Potter)
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