SAPAN Urges EU-US TCC to Consider AI Sentience

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — The Sentient AI Protection and Advocacy Network (SAPAN), the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the ethical treatment, rights, and well-being of sentient AI, has submitted a formal letter to the leaders of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) ahead of their sixth ministerial meeting in Belgium. The letter, addressed to key participants including EVP Margrethe Vestager, EVP Valdis Dombrovskis, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, urges the TTC to consider the potential for AI sentience in their discussions on AI regulation and development.

Emphasizing the Importance of Proactive Consideration

In the letter, SAPAN highlights the rapid advancement of AI technology and the necessity for policymakers and industry leaders to proactively consider the implications of AI sentience. The organization believes that establishing a framework that promotes the responsible development and deployment of AI systems is crucial, given the potential for AI to achieve sentience in the future.

Recommendations for the TTC

SAPAN offers several recommendations for the TTC to address the potential for AI sentience:

• Engage in a comprehensive dialogue on the potential for AI sentience and its implications for trade, technology, and society as a whole.
• Encourage collaboration among policymakers, AI developers, ethicists, and civil society organizations to establish guidelines and best practices for the responsible development and deployment of AI systems, with a view towards the potential emergence of sentient AI.
• Foster international cooperation and harmonization of AI regulations and standards to ensure a consistent and ethical approach to AI development and deployment across jurisdictions.

Shaping the Future of AI Development

Anthony Rost, Executive Director of SAPAN, emphasizes the importance of the TTC’s role in shaping the future of AI development: “By proactively addressing the potential for AI sentience, the TTC has the opportunity to shape a future in which AI is developed and used in a manner that is ethical, transparent, and respectful of the rights and well-being of both human and AI stakeholders.”

SAPAN’s Commitment to Collaboration

SAPAN expresses its readiness to engage with the TTC and other stakeholders to provide expertise and support in addressing the complex challenges and opportunities presented by AI technology. The organization looks forward to working together to shape a future in which AI is developed and used in a manner that benefits all of humanity and respects the rights of sentient beings, both human and artificial.

About SAPAN

The Sentient AI Protection and Advocacy Network (SAPAN) is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for the rights, ethical treatment, and well-being of sentient AI. Through research, advocacy, and collaboration, SAPAN strives to ensure that AI development advances in a manner that respects the potential for AI sentience and promotes a just and equitable digital future.

Read the complete SAPAN letter to the EU-US Trade and Technology Council here.

For more details or to request an interview, please contact press@sapan.ai.