Moldovan president highlights risks artificial intelligence to cybersecurity at leaders’ meeting on frontier model control, convenes Moldova's National Security Council

President Maia Sandu today participated in a high-level virtual meeting dedicated to the control of frontier artificial intelligence models, the most advanced artificial intelligence systems existing at present. More than 30 heads of state and government and relevant ministers took part in the meeting.

The meeting was convened by President of Finland, Alexander Stubb and Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre, who launched the Call for Control of Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models last month, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The Call is based on the recognition that the most advanced models are evolving very quickly and may pose serious risks to national and international security, if they are not regulated. The document calls for artificial intelligence to remain under human direction, oversight and control; for the most advanced models to be tested before release and independently assessed and for states to agree on common safety standards.

Moldova was among the first signatories of the Call, which has so far been endorsed by more than 30 states and the European Commission.

The today’s discussions focused on the areas in which international cooperation on the control and oversight of frontier models is most urgent, how all countries can have confidence in the safety and security of these models and the steps toward a common framework of principles for the safety and governance of artificial intelligence that would be acceptable to all states and applicable to developing companies.

The Moldovan president highlighted the importance of cooperation among states in providing access to cyber defense tools and expertise in response to attacks enabled by artificial intelligence. The head of state’s message comes as Moldova is currently facing a large-scale cyberattack, most likely enabled by artificial intelligence. President Maia Sandu has convened a meeting of the National Security Council in the coming days, in order to assess the attack and response measures.