Sixty-one countries signed a declaration on responsible AI. The United States and the United Kingdom, two of the world’s leading AI powers, walked away without signing.
mcqquestion.comInternational Relations · IntlRel0095
The Paris AI Action Summit, 2025
The Basics
10-11 February 2025, Grand Palais, Paris.
Co-chaired by France and India.
The Lineage
Follows Bletchley Park (UK, 2023).
And the Seoul Summit (2024).
The Declaration
61 countries signed, including India.
The US and UK notably did not.
Why this matters for the exam
A 2025 UPSC prelims question tested the summit’s co-chairs and lineage (correct) against whether the US and UK signed the declaration (they did not).
Must Know.
Co-Chairs and Lineage.
France, India, and Two Earlier Summits.
- When and Where. The AI Action Summit was held on 10-11 February 2025, at the Grand Palais in Paris.
- Co-Chairs. France and India co-chaired the summit, with President Macron and PM Modi both attending.
- Bletchley Park. The summit built on the first AI Safety Summit, held at Bletchley Park in the UK, in November 2023.
- Seoul Summit. It also built on the second summit, held in Seoul, South Korea, in May 2024.
- A Shifting Focus. The Paris summit shifted the emphasis from “AI Safety” to “AI Action,” reflecting a broader agenda beyond risk alone.
Good to Know.
The Declaration.
Who Signed, and Who Didn’t.
- The Text. The summit produced a “Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence for People and the Planet.”
- 61 Signatories. A total of 61 countries signed the declaration, including France, India, China, Japan, Australia, and Canada.
- US Refusal. The United States refused to sign. US Vice President JD Vance argued that excessive AI regulation could “kill a transformative industry,” and called for prioritising growth over safety-first rules.
- UK Refusal. The United Kingdom also refused to sign, citing concerns over national security and sovereignty in AI policymaking.
Previous Year Question.
Asked as: “Consider the following statements regarding AI Action Summit held in Grand Palais, Paris in February 2025.” This was asked in UPSC CSP 2025, GS Paper I. View this question.
Test Yourself.
Great to Know.
India’s Role and What Comes Next.
Why a Co-Chair Role Matters.
- India’s Standing. Co-chairing the summit reflected India’s growing role in shaping global AI governance, alongside its position as a major AI market and talent base.
- A Divided Approach. The US and UK’s refusal to sign highlighted a broader split in global AI governance. Some countries favour binding, precautionary rules; others favour a lighter-touch, growth-first approach.
- The Summit Series Continues. India was announced as the host of the next edition. The India AI Impact Summit was held in New Delhi in February 2026, the first in the series hosted by a Global South nation.
- Exam Angle. UPSC often tests recent multilateral summits by mixing a correct organisational fact with a subtly wrong outcome. This question did exactly that with the US/UK signature claim.
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