One of the ways we can tell that technological developments in AI are moving fast— really fast—is the current dialogue relating to AI “Frontier” models. A Frontier model is a “highly capable model” that “could possess capabilities sufficient to pose severe risks to public safety.” (Anderljung, et al., “Frontier AI Regulation: Managing Emerging Risks to Public Safety,” November, 2023).

The White House Executive Order (“E.O.”) on AI, issued on Oct. 30, 2023, refers to these models as “dual-use” foundation models. The U.K. Government Office for Science has published a special report on “Future Risks of Frontier AI,” and the AI Seoul Summit, held in May 2024, was followed by an “International Scientific Report on the Safety of Advanced AI.”