TLDR: The United States and the United Kingdom notably opted out of signing a landmark declaration on ‘inclusive and sustainable’ artificial intelligence at the AI Action Summit in Paris, held on February 10-11, 2025. While over 60 nations, including France, China, and India, endorsed the communique, both the US and UK cited concerns over regulatory approaches, national security implications, and the declaration’s practical clarity on global AI governance.
At the recent AI Action Summit held in Paris from February 10th to 11th, 2025, a significant development emerged as the United States and the United Kingdom chose not to sign a key declaration on ‘inclusive and sustainable’ artificial intelligence. This communique, which garnered support from over 60 other signatories including France, China, India, Japan, Australia, Canada, and European Union states, aimed to establish a concerted global approach to AI development and regulation.
The declaration outlined priorities such as ensuring AI is ‘open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy,’ while also emphasizing the need for AI to be ‘sustainable for people and the planet.’ A critical point highlighted in the summit’s agenda was the projected surge in AI’s energy consumption, with forecasts suggesting a tenfold increase by 2026 compared to 2023, which the agreement sought to address by encouraging signatories to find ways to reduce energy use.
The US Vice President, JD Vance, speaking at the Grand Palais, articulated America’s stance, criticizing Europe’s ‘excessive regulation’ of technology and cautioning against cooperation with China. Vance stated that the US seeks regulatory regimes that ‘foster the creation of AI technology rather than strangles it,’ expressing a belief that AI will make the country ‘more productive, more prosperous and more free.’ He affirmed the US’s desire to partner with signatories to embark on the AI revolution with a ‘spirit of openness and collaboration.’
Similarly, a spokesperson from Downing Street confirmed the UK’s refusal to sign, explaining that while they agreed with much of the declaration, it ‘didn’t provide enough practical clarity on global governance, nor sufficiently address harder questions around national security and the challenge AI poses to it.’ The UK government noted its participation in other summit initiatives, including signing agreements on sustainability and cybersecurity, and reiterated its commitment to prioritizing national interest in AI engagement.
This decision by the UK drew criticism from campaign groups. Andrew Dudfield, head of AI at Full Fact, warned that the UK risked ‘undercutting its hard-won credibility as a world leader for safe, ethical and trustworthy AI innovation,’ advocating for ‘bolder government action to protect people from corrosive AI-generated misinformation.’ Gaia Marcus, director of the Ada Lovelace Institute, expressed hope that the UK’s move was not a rejection of ‘the vital global governance that AI needs.’
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While intellectual property rights were mentioned in the declaration, publishing organizations, including the International Publishers Association (IPA) and the Association of American Publishers (AAP), called for further development of this aspect, stressing that copyright protection is a critical part of the regulatory equation for AI and essential for fostering human creativity.
