Leading names from national security to computer science will advise the UK government on the risks and opportunities from AI as the Frontier AI Taskforce gathers momentum and appoints a team of experts to accelerate efforts.
Formerly the Foundation Model Taskforce, the group’s focus will be on ‘Frontier AI’, and in particular, systems which could pose significant risks to public safety and global security.
Frontier AI models hold enormous potential to power economic growth, drive scientific progress and wider public benefits, while also posing potential safety risks if not developed responsibly. This includes cutting-edge large scale machine models, which are trained on vast amounts of data.
Since it launched, the Taskforce has made rapid progress in recruiting a team of seven heavy-hitting experts to guide and shape its work. Turing Prize Laureate Yoshua Bengio and GCHQ Director Anne Keast-Butler will join its newly-created External Advisory Board, bringing expertise from their roles in national security and deep computer learning.
Helping to develop new approaches in addressing the risks of AI and harnessing its benefits, all board members will share evidence-based advice in their respective areas of expertise.
Oxford academic Yarin Gal is today announced as the first Taskforce Research Director. Cambridge academic David Kreuger will also be working with the Taskforce in a consultative role as it scopes its research programme in the run up the summit. Together, they will build a team to investigate frontier AI risks such as cyber-attacks.
To kickstart efforts they will be joined by technical recruits from the AI sector, after hundreds stepped forward to apply, with the research team set to begin evaluating the risks posed by the rapidly advancing frontier of AI.
Leading AI companies Anthropic, DeepMind and OpenAI have committed to provide deep access to their AI models so researchers have all the tools they need. Over the coming weeks they’ll continue to recruit industry experts with those interested urged to apply.
In the coming months, as its work on safety research gets underway, the Taskforce will build out its capability for delivering the other two parts of its mission: identifying new uses for AI in the public sector and strengthening the UK’s capabilities.
Frontier AI Taskforce Chair, Ian Hogarth, said: “I am pleased to confirm the first members of the Taskforce’s External Advisory Board, bringing together experts from academia, industry, and government with diverse expertise in AI research and national security.
“I’m also happy to announce that in just 11 weeks we’ve rapidly hired an incredible team of AI researchers who will help make sure the UK government is at the cutting edge of AI safety.”
