May 8, 2024 Results of the Meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial Level

 A meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial Level was held over two days from Thursday, May 2 to Friday, 3, 2024, in Paris, France. This year, Japan celebrates the 60th anniversary of its OECD membership and assumes the chairmanship for the first time in 10 years. The following government officials attended the meeting from Japan: Prime Minister KISHIDA, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications MATSUMOTO, Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy SHINDO, Minister for Digital Transformation KONO, Minister of Foreign Affairs KAMIKAWA, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry SAITO, and others.
 At a side event on generative AI titled "Promoting the Governance of Inclusive Global AI toward Safe, Secure, and Reliable AI," Prime Minister Kishida delivered a speech and announced the establishment of the Hiroshima AI Process Friends Group, a voluntary framework of countries that share the spirit of the Hiroshima AI Process.
 In addition, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Matsumoto chaired the AI portion (the first half) of agenda item 6, "Solution-Oriented Approaches to Emerging Challenges." In response to Japan's recommendations at the G7 ICT Minister’s Meeting in Takamatsu, Kagawa in 2016, the OECD began to study Artificial Intelligence (AI) and subsequently published the "Recommendations on Artificial Intelligence (AI)" (OECD AI Principles) in 2019. In reviewing the OECD AI Principles, discussions on the governance of generative AI, which has been developing rapidly in recent years, were conducted in alignment with the outcomes of the Hiroshima AI Process, which was led by Japan as the chairman of the G7.
 At the closing ceremony, the revised OECD AI Principles and a ministerial statement were adopted as outcomes of the meeting.

1. Date

 Thursday, May 2 to Friday, May 3, 2024

2. Outline of the event

 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organization that discusses general economic issues. It comprises 38 industrialized countries from Europe, America and other regions. This year marks Japan's 60th anniversary of membership to the OECD, and Japan served as the chair for the ministerial council meeting for the first time in 10 years.
 The meeting was held in Paris, France, under the theme of "Co-creation in the face of change: Leading global, objective, and reliable discussions towards sustainable and inclusive growth." Under this theme, the following six topics were discussed: "Achieving a Sustainable and Inclusive Economy and Society,'' "Promoting Free and Fair Trade and Investment for Accelerating Sound Economic Growth,'' "Economic Resilience – Fact-Based Issue Identification and Discussion,'' "Global Outreach and Proposing Credible Policies,'' "Credible Pathways Towards Sustainable and Inclusive Growth Under the Interlinked Global Crises'' and "Solution-oriented approach to emerging issues.'' A ministerial statement was released as the outcome of this meeting.

 (1) A side event concerning generative AI
 At the beginning of the event, a video was shown that introduced the background of the establishment of the Hiroshima AI Process and the progress and outcome of the discussions. This was followed by a speech by Prime Minister Kishida. In his speech, he stated that the formation of international governance is an urgent task for safe, secure, and reliable AI. For that purpose, he established the Hiroshima AI Process to develop international guidelines and codes of conduct and reduce specific risks surrounding generative AI. He also welcomed the OECD’s efforts to produce concrete results in the form of revisions to the AI Principles.
 Prime Minister Kishida also announced the establishment of the Hiroshima AI Process Friends Group with the participation of 49 countries and regions. The Hiroshima AI Process Friends Group is a voluntary framework of countries that agree with the spirit of the Hiroshima AI Process. The group will implement international guidelines and promote cooperation to ensure that people around the world can use safe, secure, and reliable AI.
 Furthermore, Prime Minister Kishida also emphasized the importance of technological measures to reduce AI risks. Japan will establish the GPAI Tokyo Center to support experts conducting projects, such as technology demonstrations. Additionally, Japan will also support the social implementation of sender verification technologies to address false information risk posed by generative AI.
 In response, OECD Secretary-General Corman stated that he highly appreciated Japan's efforts in international AI governance to date and that it is crucial to implement both the Hiroshima AI Process and the OECD AI Principles, which have been revised to achieve safe, secure, and reliable AI. He also mentioned the OECD’s ongoing contributions to this initiative. On behalf of the member countries of the Friends Group, Mr. Alejandro Encinas Najera, the Undersecretary of Foreign Trade of Mexico, and Ms. Grace Hu, the Minister for Sustainability and Environment and Minister of Trade Relations of Singapore, expressed their appreciation for the Hiroshima AI Process initiatives and their willingness to actively participate in the efforts of the Friends Group.
 As a representative of the private sector, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, attended the meeting online. He stated that the international guidelines and code of conduct from the Hiroshima AI Process would play a crucial role in the situation where various initiatives for global AI governance are actively proceeding. Additionally, he also expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Kishida for his leadership in advancing the Hiroshima AI Process and his hope that Friends Group's initiatives involving the Global South will be further advanced in the future.

 (Prime Minister Kishida’s attendance at the side event on generative AI
during the meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial Level [a summary of results])
  https://www.mofa.go.jp/ecm/ec/pageite_000001_00332.html

 (2) The AI portion of agenda item 6: "Solution-Oriented Approaches to Emerging Challenges"
 In 2016, at the G7 ICT Minister’s Meeting, Japan advocated the need for international guidelines on AI research and development. In response to the G7 discussions, the OECD initiated research and analysis on AI and developed and published the 10 AI Principles in May 2019 ahead of other international organizations. The 10 AI Principles serve as the international policy standard.
 At this ministerial council meeting, Minister Matsumoto chaired the AI portion of agenda item 6, "Solution-Oriented Approaches to Emerging Challenges," where the revision to the OECD AI Principles was discussed.
 Minister Matsumoto expressed his gratitude to the OECD for its cooperation in the discussion of the Hiroshima AI Process to date. He pointed out the rapid development of generative AI since the adoption of the OECD AI Principles in 2019 and welcomed the review of generative AI governance being conducted in alignment with the discussions of the Hiroshima AI Process, which was led by Japan as the chairman of the G7
 Minister Matsumoto also stated that the international interoperability of AI governance is crucial for people around the world to benefit from AI and lead better lives. Additionally, he expressed his expectation that the OECD, as a pioneer in international AI policy, will fully demonstrate its strengths in external policy discussions, including its expertise in evidence-based analysis and policy recommendations.
 At the closing ceremony held afterwards, the revised OECD AI Principles and a ministerial statement were adopted as the outcomes of the meeting.

 (Attachment) The ministerial statement from the 2024 meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial Level [Original]
       The OECD’s Revised "Recommendations on Artificial Intelligence (AI)" [Original]

 < For reference >
 The official website for meetings of the OECD Council at Ministerial Level
   https://www.oecd-events.org/meeting-of-the-council-at-ministerial-level-2024/en/
 The Website for the Hiroshima AI Process
  https://www.soumu.go.jp/hiroshimaaiprocess/en/index.html