Quad to step up cooperation in AI, critical minerals

Washington: Foreign ministers of Quad grouping on Saturday expressed their intent to provide technical assistance to expand access to trusted Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the Indo-Pacific even as the US committed to provide USD 10 million for recycling critical minerals in India and ASEAN countries.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Atlanta.

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The ministers also announced the first-ever Quad Business Leaders' Forum to foster greater ties across public and private sectors, including the promotion of commercial deals in key sectors.

The Quad export credit agencies will meet in Tokyo on November 18 to identify opportunities for practical cooperation, further demonstrating the commitment to deepening economic cooperation.

"The Quad ministers highlighted the importance of Artificial Intelligence and initiatives like Pax Silica to the future of economic growth and expressed their intent to provide over USD 85 million of technical and financial assistance to support access to trusted SI across the Indo-Pacific, including through the Quad AI Accelerator," a joint statement issued after the meeting said.

This was the third Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting held this year. Earlier, the ministers met in New Delhi in May and in Manila in July.

Moves are underway to convene a Quad Leaders' Summit, hosted by US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the ASEAN-East Asian Summits in mid-November.

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"As our nations continue building reliable and open supply chains, supporting next-generation technologies, increasing maritime cooperation, and securing critical minerals, the United States, Australia, India, and Japan are delivering results for our people and the nations in the region," Rubio said.