According to sources close to the matter, the U.S. delegation attending a significant artificial intelligence summit in Paris next week will not include technical staff from the country's AI Safety Institute. Vice President JD Vance will lead the U.S. contingent at the event, which will convene representatives from around 100 countries on February 10 and 11.
Among the U.S. attendees will be members of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, including Principal Deputy Director Lynne Parker and Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence Sriram Krishnan, as confirmed by an OSTP spokesperson.
Notably, the participation of Homeland Security and Commerce Department officials has been canceled by the Trump administration. This includes representatives from the U.S. AI Safety Institute, individuals familiar with the situation disclosed on condition of anonymity.
The AI Safety Institute, established under former President Joe Biden, focuses on assessing and addressing specific AI-related risks and has collaboration agreements with leading U.S. startups OpenAI and Anthropic for safety testing. Its bipartisan efforts have underlined its work.
With the management transition following Trump's departure on January 20, the new administration’s plans for the institute remain uncertain, particularly after the revocation of an AI executive order tied to Biden.
Amidst uncertainties, discussions at the Paris summit are expected to diverge from previous global meetings by diluting the emphasis on AI risks, which have been challenged by some in the technology industry.
The International Network of AI Safety Institutes, headed by the United States and comprising member countries globally, is anticipated to be represented with work that heavily involves the U.S.
Sources hint that U.S. delegates may engage in the network's dialogues. Heightened emphasis on U.S. innovation leadership has become crucial given China's recent AI advancements.