Bletchley Declaration: Nations sign agreement for safe and responsible AI advancement

Acknowledges the risks associated with frontier AI

Dev Kundaliya

02 November 2023

In a historic gathering, leading AI nations have reached an unprecedented agreement on AI safety, marking a pivotal moment in the development of the technology.

Representatives from 28 countries and regions, including the USA, European Union and China, came together to sign the Bletchley Declaration, which emphasises the urgent need to collaboratively manage the potential opportunities and risks associated with frontier AI.

Frontier AI is defined as "highly capable general-purpose AI models that can perform a wide variety of tasks and match or exceed the capabilities present in today's most advanced models."

The Bletchley Declaration acknowledges that substantial risks could arise from the misuse or unintentional control issues associated with the technology, particularly in the fields of cybersecurity, biotechnology and disinformation. The signatories expressed their concern over the potential for "serious, even catastrophic, harm, whether deliberate or unintentional, stemming from the most significant capabilities of these AI models."

The declaration also recognises the broader risks beyond frontier AI, such as bias and privacy concerns. It underscores the need for international cooperation to address these risks effectively.

As part of their commitment to global collaboration on AI safety, South Korea has agreed to co-host a virtual summit on AI within the next six months, while France will host the next in-person summit a year from now.

Politicians and public figures welcome agreement

Prime minister Rishi Sunak hailed the agreement as a "landmark achievement" that underscores the urgency of understanding AI risks.

In a video address from Buckingham Palace, King Charles voiced his concerns about the unintended consequences of AI and urged the sharing of its benefits with all.

The United States was represented by vice president Kamala Harris and secretary of commerce Gina Raimondo.

Harris stressed that AI safety concerns must go beyond existential fears of cyberattacks and bioweapons. She emphasised the importance of addressing the full spectrum of AI risks, including bias, discrimination, and disinformation.

Elon Musk, also present at the conference, took a lukewarm approach. He warned about the potential threats AI poses to humanity, but also said he believes it's too early to regulate the technology.

Musk stressed that AI could be "one of the biggest threats" the world faces, highlighting the challenge of dealing with technology potentially more intelligent than humans.

"For the first time, we have a situation where there's something that is going to be far smarter than the smartest human. So, you know, we're not stronger or faster than other creatures, but we are more intelligent, and here we are, for the first time really in human history, with something that's going to be far more intelligent than us."

Wu Zhaohui, China's vice minister of science and technology, expressed Beijing's willingness to enhance dialogue and communication with other nations on AI safety.

China is developing its own initiative for AI governance, acknowledging the technology's uncertainty, lack of explanation and transparency.

Rashik Parmar, CEO of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said: "The declaration takes a more positive view of the potential of AI to transform our lives than many thought, and that's also important to build public trust.

"I'm also pleased to see a focus on AI issues that are a problem today - particularly disinformation, which could result in 'personalised fake news' during the next election - we believe this is more pressing than speculation about existential risk. The emphasis on global co-operation is vital, to minimise differences in how countries regulate AI.

"After the summit, we would like to see government and employers insisting that everyone working in a high-stakes AI role is a licensed professional and that they and their organisations are held to the highest ethical standards. It's also important that CEOs who make decisions about how AI is used in their organisation are held to account as much as the AI experts; that should mean they are more likely to heed the advice of technologists."

 

Forty nations pledge not to pay cybercriminals

Comes in the face of rising levels of ransomware

Dev Kundaliya

02 November 2023

A coalition of 40 countries, led by the USA, has pledged to never pay cybercriminal ransoms and to collectively work toward disrupting their financial systems.

The countries made the agreement at a summit in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, where they finalised a set of policies intended to cripple the ransomware payments market.

The International Counter Ransomware Initiative's key components include sharing data on ransomware perpetrators and techniques, and establishing a "blacklist" of information about digital wallets used to facilitate ransomware payments.

The US Department of the Treasury will share the blacklist.

The initiative also aims for swift action to shut down threats stemming from inside an ally's borders.

The goal of these measures is to reduce member governments' vulnerability as potential targets, by eliminating the economic incentive for ransomware attacks.

A formal release says the alliance will use AI to examine blockchain data, in order to identify and track illicit funds used in ransomware schemes. In this manner the participating countries intend to enhance their ability to trace the flow of funds within the cryptocurrency ecosystem, ultimately making it more challenging for cybercriminals to benefit from their activities.

Two information-sharing platforms will be established as part of the initiative: one led by Lithuania and the other jointly managed by Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Most nations represented at the summit endorsed the initiative, but eight chose not to participate in this commitment, according to Reuters.

Forty-eight countries, along with the European Union and Interpol, are members of the CRI. However, countries with the most notorious ransomware records - Russia, China, Iran and North Korea - are not members. These countries are known for supporting ransomware attacks at the state level and providing safe havens for independent hacker groups.

The pledge comes in the face of an escalating ransomware threat, with numerous organisations and governments falling victim to these disruptive attacks.

Anne Neuberger, the US deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies in the Biden administration, told reporters this week that the USA has experienced the highest impact, with 46% of all ransomware attacks launched against US targets.

"As long as there is money flowing to ransomware criminals, this is a problem that will continue to grow," she said.

Last week, ransomware group LockBit announced its intrusion of the aerospace giant Boeing, claiming to have stolen a substantial amount of the sensitive data from the company's systems.

The group threatened to release the data if Boeing does not comply with their demands by a 2nd November deadline. The hackers have not yet publicly disclosed the exact ransom they are demanding from Boeing.

 

CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M

SEC sues SolarWinds, CISO for fraud and security failures

The firm allegedly misled investors about its cybersecurity practices and vulnerabilities

Dev Kundaliya

01 November 2023• 

Image: 

SEC sues SolarWinds, CISO for fraud and security failures

SolarWinds Corporation, the IT firm at the centre of one of the most significant cyber espionage incidents in history, is now facing legal action from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The agency has filed a lawsuit alleging fraud and a lack of adequate internal controls by SolarWinds leading up to the notorious cyberattack in 2020.

The SEC's lawsuit, filed on Monday, also names the company's Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Timothy Brown, accusing him of ignoring "repeated red flags about SolarWinds' cyber risks, which were well known throughout the company."

The Sunburst attack, which sent shockwaves through the cybersecurity community in 2020, compromised SolarWinds customers, including several US federal agencies, through a malicious code implanted within an Orion software update.

This breach was first detected by cybersecurity firm FireEye, which was also impacted, alongside other technology companies like Microsoft.

Microsoft attributed the attack to a Russian nation-state group known as Nobelium.

The full extent of the breach, often concealed behind layers of classification, remains unclear.

SolarWinds went public in 2018 and, according to the SEC complaint, the company and its CISO misled investors about the firm's cybersecurity practices, known risks and vulnerabilities, creating a false image of the company's security posture.

The complaint alleges that SolarWinds and Brown were aware of the company's weak cybersecurity practices. The SEC pointed to an internal presentation made by Brown in the same month SolarWinds went public, in which he expressed concerns about the "vulnerable state" of the company's security.

The presentation noted that the company's cybersecurity was "not very secure" and that exploiting the vulnerability could lead to "major reputation and financial loss" for the company.

In June 2020, during an inquiry into a cyberattack targeting a SolarWinds client, Brown wrote that it was "very concerning" that the threat actors might use SolarWinds' Orion software for larger attacks.

Another internal document from September 2020 revealed that the number of security issues had exceeded the engineering team's ability to address them.

The SEC's official charges against SolarWinds include violations of reporting and internal controls provisions of the Exchange Act.

The watchdog has said it is seeking "permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement with prejudgment interest, civil penalties, and an officer and director bar against Brown."

Its complaint points out that threat actors have been increasingly attacking VPNs to gain remote access. The agency mentioned that the attackers behind the Sunburst attack initially accessed SolarWinds' systems through a VPN vulnerability.

It asserts that SolarWinds would have faced charges for its security practices even without the Sunburst breach.

SolarWinds has rejected the SEC's allegations, expressing its intention to fight the charges in court.

A spokesperson for SolarWinds referred to the SEC charges as "unfounded" and expressed concern about the potential implications for national security. The spokesperson emphasised the company's commitment to clarifying the situation in court and continuing to support its customers.

Brown's attorney, Alec Koch, stated, "Mr Brown has worked tirelessly and responsibly to continuously improve the company's cybersecurity posture throughout his time at SolarWinds, and we look forward to defending his reputation and correcting the inaccuracies in the SEC's complaint."

Ahead of COP28, over 46 million health professionals call for pledge to phase out fossil fuels

In a letter addressed to Al-Jaber, who will preside over the climate conference, or COP28 as it is called, the medical community said a complete phase-out of fossil fuels was the only decisive way to deliver health for all.

Written by Anuradha Mascarenhas
Pune | India

November 2, 2023

This year, the annual climate change conference has, for the first time, dedicated one full day for discussing health impacts of climate change.

(File photo)

In a first of its kind appeal by medical community, organisations representing more than 46 million health professionals have called on COP28 president Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber to ensure that countries agree to an “accelerated phase-out of all fossil fuels” at this year’s climate change conference starting later this month.

In a letter addressed to Al-Jaber, who will preside over the climate conference, or COP28 as it is called, the medical community said a complete phase-out of fossil fuels was the only decisive way to deliver health for all.

Climate change impacts community health in several ways, and the continued rise in global temperatures can adversely affect human health. Right to health is mentioned in the preamble of the Paris Agreement as one of the objectives to aspire to while looking for solutions to climate change.

This year, the annual climate change conference has, for the first time, dedicated one full day for discussing health impacts of climate change.

K Srinath Reddy, Distinguished Professor, Public Health Foundation of India, one of the signatories to the letter, said a commitment to phase-out fossil fuels was essential.

“Without that commitment to end fossil fuel dependency, concerns about health effects of climate change will not carry conviction… To put brakes on climate change, it is necessary to remove fossil fuels from the engines of global economic development,” he said.

The letter also demands that fossil fuel industry representatives be excluded from climate negotiations. In the last few years, an increasing number of executives from oil and other fossil fuel industries have been coming to the climate change conference, triggering fears that their presence might slow down efforts to combat climate change.

“Just as the tobacco industry is not allowed to participate in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, it is imperative to safeguard global collaboration on climate progress from the lobbying, disinformation and delays in favour of industry interests,” the letter said.

The letter is supported by organisations like World Medical Association, World Federation of Public Health Association and International Council of Nurses. Some leading medical journals like the British Medical Journal have also endorsed it.

“Climate change is impacting the health of our children. There is a noticeable rise in cases of asthma, and respiratory problems due to worsening quality of air. Exposure to indoor air pollution is another important factor which can lead to adverse outcomes in pregnant women,” Naveen Thacker, president of the International Pediatric Association, and another signatory to the letter, said.

Dr Arvind Kumar, Chairman, Institute of Chest Surgery-Chest Onco Surgery and Lung Transplantation, Medanta Hospital, who too has signed the letter, said the dedicated health day at COP28 presented a historic opportunity to make bold and courageous decisions on ensuring health for all.

“Let’s end this fossil fuel dependency and reduce toxic pollution. This day should be remembered as a moment when we put people’s health and well-being at the forefront of our climate action agenda. This opportunity must not be lost,” he said.

© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd

First published on: 02-11-2023 

WTF?!

NR Narayana Murthy: Why Indians are debating a 70-hour work week

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IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES

Image caption,

The coronavirus pandemic made many people re-evaluate their relationship with work

By Meryl Sebastian

BBC News, Kochi

How many hours should a person work in a week?

That's the question being asked in India over the past few days after software billionaire NR Narayana Murthy - the father-in-law of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak - said that young people should be ready to work 70 hours a week to help the country's development.

"India's work productivity is one of the lowest in the world," he said on a podcast recently. "Unless we improve our work productivity... we will not be able to compete with those countries that have made tremendous progress."

"So, therefore, my request is that our youngsters must say, 'This is my country. I'd like to work 70 hours a week'," he added.

After the comments went viral, Mr Murthy received both support and criticism as people on social media and the opinion pages of newspapers debated "toxic" work cultures, and what employers can expect from the people they hire.

Some of the criticism came from people who pointed out the starting salaries - typically on the low end - for engineers in Indian technology companies including Infosys, which Mr Murthy co-founded.

Others focused on the physical and mental health issues that could arise from working without a break.

"No time to socialise, no time to talk to family, no time to exercise, no time for recreation. Not to mention companies expect people to answer emails and calls after work hours also. Then wonder why young people are getting heart attacks?" Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy, a Bengaluru-based cardiologist, wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

And some pointed out that most women worked much more than 70 hours a week - at both the office and their homes.

JACK MA'S WORK FORMULA FOR ANT/ALIBABA WORKERS

The debate comes at a time when around the world, the Covid-19 pandemic has made people re-evaluate their relationship with work. Many felt that they were more productive when they worked from home while others advocated for a healthy work-life balance.

Experts say there are benefits to this, not just for employees.

"Companies that implement work-life balance policies benefit from increased retention of current employees, improved recruitment, lower rates of absenteeism and higher productivity," said the International Labour Organization (ILO) in a report released last year, citing a study of 45 companies in the US.

IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES

Image caption,

Mr Murthy's remarks set off a heated debate

Indians already work long hours - according to the ILO report, Indians worked an average of more than 2,000 hours every year before the pandemic, much higher than the US, Brazil and Germany.

"Boosting productivity isn't just about working longer hours," Indian entrepreneur and film producer Ronnie Screwvala wrote on X. "It's about getting better at what you do - upskilling, having a positive work environment and fair pay for the work done. Quality of work done > clocking in more hours."

The topic is a sensitive one in India - the country has strong labour laws but activists say officials need to do more to implement them strictly.

Earlier this year, protests from workers and opposition leaders forced the Tamil Nadu state government to withdraw a bill that would have allowed working time in factories to increase to 12 hours from eight.

Mr Murthy had earlier faced criticism in 2020, when he suggested that Indians work for a minimum of 64 hours a week for two to three years to compensate for the economic slowdown caused by the coronavirus lockdown.

Last year, another Indian CEO was criticised for suggesting that young people work 18 hours a day at the beginning of their careers.

But some business leaders in India agree with the advice.

CP Gurnani, CEO of IT company Tech Mahindra, said that Mr Murthy might have intended for the comment to be taken in a more holistic way.

"I believe when he talks of work, it's not limited to the company. It extends to yourself and to your country. He hasn't said work 70 hours for the company - work 40 hours for the company but work 30 hours for yourself. Invest the 10,000 hours that makes one a master in one's subject. Burn the midnight oil and become an expert in your field," he posted on X.

"A five-day week culture is not what a rapidly developing nation of our size needs," said Sajjan Jindal, chairman of the JSW Group of companies.

While India debates longer working hours, some developed countries have been experimenting with four-day work weeks.

In 2022, Belgium changed laws to give workers the right to work four days a week without a salary reduction. The country's prime minister said that the intention was to "create a more dynamic and productive economy".

Last year, several companies in the UK participated in a six-month trial scheme, organised by 4 Day Week Global which campaigns for a shorter week - at the end of the trial, 56 of the 61 companies that took part said they would continue with the four-day week, at least for now, with 18 saying they would make it a permanent change.

A report assessing the scheme's impact in the UK found that it had "extensive benefits", particularly for employees' well-being.

Its authors argued it could herald a shift in attitudes, so that a mid-week break or a three-day weekend would soon be seen as normal.

A similar experiment is now being held in Portugal.

Young Indians should work 70 hours a week, says billionaire tech founder

Diksha Madhok, CNN
Thu, November 2, 2023 

Aparna Jayakumar/Bloomberg/Getty Images

One of India’s most revered entrepreneurs believes that young people need to put in exceptionally long hours at work if they want to see the country become a global economic powerhouse.

N.R. Narayana Murthy, co-founder of the software behemoth Infosys, said India needs “highly determined, extremely disciplined and extremely hardworking” youngsters, who should put in 70 hours a week at work.

“You know, this is exactly what the Germans and Japanese did after the Second World War,” Murthy told Mohandas Pai, the former CFO of Infosys, in a chat published on YouTube Thursday.

Murthy, whose wealth is estimated at over $4 billion by Forbes, co-founded Infosys in 1981. It went on to become one of the world’s biggest outsourcing firms.

He is also the father-in-law of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

“Somehow our youth have the habit of taking not so desirable habits from the West and then not helping the country,” Murthy said. “India’s work productivity is one of the lowest in the world.”

He added that Indians should learn from policies that helped other emerging markets, particularly China.

The tech tycoon said that corporate leaders in India should motivate young people to “work very hard” by telling them that “for the first time India has received certain respect (globally). This is the time for us to consolidate and accelerate the progress.”

India, one of the fastest growing major economies in the world, is projected to expand 6.3% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Murthy’s comments on putting in longer hours professionally come at a time when there has been a drastic shift in the way people think about work in the West and in China.

For a few years now, many young people in China have embraced a new philosophy they’ve called “lying flat,” to fight against the country’s “996” excessive work culture‚ or the practice of working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week.

In the United States, quiet quitting became a workplace trend last year, in which people decided to stop doing work that is beyond what they were hired to do.

Murthy’s comments were slammed on social media. Over the past few years, several surveys have shown that Indians feel they are among the most overworked and underpaid people in the world.

CNN has reached out to Infosys for comment.