Industry experts have linked the US decision to withhold signing the joint statement at the Paris AI summit to the Trump administration’s stance that sustainability concerns related to energy could hinder the growth of the AI industry. This reflects an “American First” stance, they shared.
On Tuesday, 58 countries including India and China, signed the joint statement which calls for promoting the accessibility of AI and ensuring trust and safety in deploying the technology. However, this list excluded participation from the US and the UK.
The implications
The implications of either country—especially the US—not signing the Paris Declaration are serious and concerning, highlighted Jaspreet Bindra, Co-founder, of AI&Beyond.
“Often, signing such declarations is more about signaling intent than guaranteeing immediate action. Even if it’s just about intent, the refusal of the US to participate reflects an ‘America First’ stance, which increasingly feels like ‘America Alone’. This mindset is now evident across various sectors, with AI having become its latest victim,” he explained.
This is a significant issue because most major AI companies are based in the US. The US, along with China, leads in AI, and the US is still ahead in many areas. Key developments like large language models (LLMs) and other AI breakthroughs risk progressing in isolation and being disconnected from global collaboration.
On the other hand, the UK, often ranked third globally in AI, holds substantial influence in this field as well, he noted. The first and third-ranking nations distancing themselves from international agreements signal a troubling rupture, with this pattern visible in other global initiatives related to climate, medicine, and science—reinforcing the need for global cooperation.
Kashyap Kompella, an AI Industry Analyst, shared that the Trump administration is taking an America First approach, including in AI.
AI accessibility and safety
“The US and the EU paths on technology and AI have diverged. Trump’s administration views sustainability questions on energy as putting speed brakes on the growth of the AI industry. The US also views the EU as unfairly regulating its BigTech companies. Vice President JD Vance made these amply clear at the summit, so it’s not surprising they did not sign the joint declaration.”
He added that the UK’s decision, however, was surprising, as they championed the inaugural global AI Safety Summit. Their decision reflects their light-touch approach to AI regulation while not constraining their energy industry.
AI regulation and innovation
While the AI revolution thrives on rapid innovation and the democratisation of technology, enabling businesses to optimise at unprecedented speeds, regulation becomes essential to protect consumer, corporate, and national interests as the industry matures.
Dikshant Dave, CEO of Zigment AI, noted, “We’re at a critical inflection point, where balancing innovation with accountability is key. The countries’ refusal to sign the Paris AI Summit declaration highlights their concern that these global regulations might stifle innovation. The challenge lies in finding a middle ground—where companies have the freedom to innovate while ensuring responsible development. Once this balance is struck, countries will more easily align on international agreements.”
Bindra further explained that while India signing the Paris Declaration was certainly a positive step, the country should also pursue bilateral AI agreements, especially with the US, given the deeply intertwined interests.
“PM Modi’s current visit to the US presents a valuable opportunity to initiate such collaboration. India must establish a strong bilateral AI partnership with the US, and potentially with the UK as well, to ensure our mutual interests are aligned and we remain active participants in shaping the global AI landscape.”
The Paris AI summit featured discussions on critical themes, including greater access to AI infrastructure to ensure inclusion, the responsible use of AI and AI for public interest, making AI more diverse and sustainable, and ensuring safe and trusted governance of AI.