POLITICO first reported that Britain was unlikely to sign the statement after Trump administration officials expressed reservations over language calling for “inclusive and sustainable” AI.
Talks continued until late that night and resumed first thing on Tuesday morning, but a list of signatories to the final statement published later on Tuesday didn’t include the U.K. or U.S.
Over 70 governments, international bodies and research institutes did sign the statement, including the European Union, China and India.
A spokesperson for No. 10 Downing Street confirmed the U.K. did not sign, but declined to explain why.
They instead highlighted U.K. involvement in a range of other initiatives at the summit, including a “Coalition for Sustainable AI” to track the technology’s impact on the planet.
The U.K. engages with countries including the France and U.S. on AI, but will “always put the national interest first,” the spokesperson said.
The AI Action Summit, co-hosted with India, has been an investment showcase for France, with French President Emmanuel Macron announcing more than $100 billion of investment.
The next summit will be held in India.