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Zoe Kleinman & Liv McMahon
Technology editor & reporter

The statement, signed by France, China and India among other countries, pledges an "open", "inclusive" and "ethical" approach to the technology's development.

Downing Street said the UK "hadn't been able to agree all parts of the leaders' declaration" and would "only ever sign up to initiatives that are in UK national interests" - but has not spelt out which parts of the communique the UK objected to.

Earlier, US Vice President JD Vance told delegates in Paris that too much regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) could "kill a transformative industry just as it's taking off".

Vance told world leaders that AI was "an opportunity that the Trump administration will not squander" and said "pro-growth AI policies" should be prioritised over safety.

He said that this would require regulation which fosters AI development "rather than strangles it".

Vance added that leaders in Europe should especially "look to this new frontier with optimism, rather than trepidation".

His comments appear to put him at odds with French President Emmanuel Macron, who defended the need for further regulation.

"We need these rules for AI to move forward," Macron said at the summit.

The UK has previously been a champion of the idea of AI safety, with then prime minister Rishi Sunak holding the world's first AI Safety Summit in November 2023.

Andrew Dudfield, head of AI at fact-checking organisation Full Fact, said the government's decision not to sign the Paris communique put that in jeopardy.

"By refusing to sign today's international AI Action Statement the UK Government risks undercutting its hard-won credibility as a world leader for safe, ethical and trustworthy AI innovation," he said.