China has been invited to attend the global AI summit hosted by the United Kingdom in November.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly confirmed that China has been invited to attend parts of the summit, defended the government's decision, and added that China's involvement is necessary to address AI risks effectively. By bringing together governments, tech companies, and civil society at the iconic Bletchley Park to review the risks raised by technology, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wants to position Britain as a global leader in AI regulation.

Why does it matter?

The global AI summit aims to bring together governments, industry leaders, and experts to discuss AI's potential risks and its regulation. In May, the Financial Times reported that PM Sunak favours a milder approach to AI regulation compared with the upcoming EU risk-based AI Act.
The UK government believes it would be a mistake to isolate one of the leading nations in AI and that China's involvement is essential to address AI risks globally and effectively. As a significant player in the AI industry, China's participation is seen as crucial by the UK if they want to achieve the summit's objectives.
However, inviting China generated some debate among the UK's allies at the G7.