[20/02/2025] Professor Sethu Vijayakumar, Professor of Robotics at the School of Informatics played a significant role in recent strategic UK-Japan partnership discussions. His contributions were particularly noted during the Wilton Park Discussions held on 11-13 December 2024, organised by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The event, held under Chatham House rules, included officials from Japan's Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, as well as from the British Embassy in Tokyo. The deliberations aimed at enhancing UK-Japan collaborations in AI, robotics, and machine learning, areas that are already generating significant results. The outcomes from these workshops were subsequently presented as recommendations to ministers, with propositions to expand initiatives such as the Japan Moonshot Projects and bilateral funding through UKRI. Following the Wilton Park Discussions, Professor Vijayakumar participated in a panel at Japan House London on 3 February 2025. This event titled "Japan and the UK: Governing in the Age of AI" was organised in collaboration with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and the Embassy of Japan in London. Taking place just before the AI Summit in Paris, the discussions at Japan House London illustrated the critical need for public-private collaboration to harness the transformative potential of AI and technology, exploring development trajectories and necessary support frameworks for AI governance. The panel of experts explored strategies for governing AI effectively and fostering global cooperation in the context of liberal democracies such as the UK and Japan. These continuous collaborative efforts underscore the strategic importance of UK and Japan partnerships, aiming to drive significant advancements in technology and governance on a global scale. Related links Japan and the UK: Governing in the Age of AI Tags 2025 Event Research Publication date 06 Mar, 2025
