Elliot Jones

Proponents of a CERN-like body for AI have called for its creation as a way to build safer AI systems, enable more international coordination in AI development, and reduce dependencies on private industry labs for the development of safe and ethical AI systems. Rather than creating its own AI systems, some argue, a CERN-like institution could focus specifically on research into AI safety. Similar sentiments have been repeated by other prominent actors in the AI governance ecosystem, including Ian Hogarth, chair of the UK’s AI Safety Institute, who argues that an international research institution offers a way to ensure safer AI research in a controlled and centralized environment without being driven by profit motive. A publicly funded international research organization conducting safety research might be more resilient than private sector labs to economic pressures, and better able to avoid the risk of profit-seeking motives overriding meaningful research into AI safety measures. (2024) source Unverified

Preventing narrowly commercial interests from dominating a CERN for AI would require vigilant governance. That said, the governance structure of CERN could provide a template for its AI-focused equivalent: CERN’s multinational membership and interdisciplinary focus insulate it from capture by special interests, and provide a diversity of input to counter corporate influence. CERN is run by a council of its member states, with two delegates each (one representing government, the other national scientific interests); each member state has a single vote, and the council operates on a simple majority vote for decision-making. This also ensures no single member state can abuse its position within CERN – and provides a measure of protection against risks associated with the actions of individual states, as seen in the council’s suspension of Russia’s scientific observer status in March 2022 after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. (2024) source Unverified