Toward International Cooperation on Foundational AI Models: An Expanded Role for Trade Agreements and International Economic Policy

Foundational AI models such as ChatGPT4 will have wide ranging and potentially large scale impacts on economic growth, social flourishing and national security. At the same time these models present risks. International AI governance is needed to support domestic regulation of foundational AI models, to address the spillovers and to develop the standards and compliance mechanisms that can build trust in the global dissemination and us of AI. The World Trade Organization (WTO) includes limited rules that matter for AI, but it in various bilateral and regional trade agreements that rules for AI are most advanced. That said, using trade agreements to developing AI governance is at its infancy. This article outlies what more can be done in trade agreements as well as in less formal international economic forum such as the G7 to develop international cooperation and governance of foundational AI systems.