The White House is set to host a conference with Silicon Valley’s best and brightest to learn how laws and regulations should be adapted to fuel the growth of artificial intelligence in years to come.

Google, Amazon and Intel are among the big names to be invited to Washington as the US government tries to get ahead of the trends, according to the Huffington Post. While building a framework which grants flexibility for innovation, rigidness for accountability and protections for the livelihoods of citizens is a complicated task, the White House is follows trends from around the world as rule makers aim to prove themselves relevant.

Over in Europe numerous countries have been attempting to tackle the upcoming wave of algorithms and swell of data, as has the European Commission. While it is critical for governments and bureaucracies to ensure developments do not negatively impact the day-to-day lives of citizens, the White House might also be concerned with progress being made over in China.

For many industry commentators artificial intelligence might be the defining factor of the digital era. 5G is claiming the headlines for the moment, but this infrastructure is nothing more than the foundations; it gives companies and entrepreneurs the opportunity to be innovative and explore new ideas. One of these ideas is AI, which already promises to be an integral part of every technological breakthrough in the pipeline from personalised healthcare to autonomous vehicles, and the management of smart cities.

Looking across the Pacific to China, the US government might be seeing progress and investments made by the Chinese government as a worrying trend. The country has already produced some of the most powerful companies in the technology industry, and looks to be fuelling another horde with money continued to be directed at next-gen technologies. The US might be home to the technology leaders of today, but should the country not create a suitable environment for the development of AI it won’t be too long before China dominates the technology world.

AI will be a critical component of the digital economy, and the importance of this conference should not be underplayed. Executives heading across to Washington will have to do their best to encourage an update of laws and regulations, but also ensure the government is being kept at arm’s length; the red tape is being prepped.