The UN General Assembly will turn its attention to artificial intelligence on Thursday, deliberating a resolution that outlines the potentially transformative technology’s pros and cons while advocating for the establishment of international standards.
The text, co-sponsored by dozens of countries, underscores the need for guidelines “to promote safe, secure, and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems,” while excluding military AI from its scope.
Overall, the resolution primarily focuses on the technology’s positive potential and urges special attention “to bridge the artificial intelligence and other digital divides between and within countries.”
The draft resolution, the first of its kind on the issue, was introduced by the United States and will be presented for approval by the assembly on Thursday.
It also aims “to promote, rather than hinder, digital transformation and equitable access” to AI to accomplish the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which seek to ensure a better future for humanity by 2030.
“As AI technologies rapidly advance, there is an urgent need and unique opportunities for member states to seize this critical moment with collective action,” said US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, reading a joint statement by the numerous co-sponsoring countries.
According to Richard Gowan, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, “the emphasis on development is a deliberate effort by the US to garner goodwill among poorer nations.”
“It is easier to discuss how AI can aid developing countries’ progress rather than address security and safety issues directly as an initial step,” he remarked.
‘Male-dominated algorithms’
The draft text does underscore the threats posed by the technology when misused with the intention to cause harm and acknowledges that without safeguards, AI risks undermining human rights, perpetuating biases, and compromising personal data protection.
Consequently, it urges member states and stakeholders “to refrain from or cease the use of artificial intelligence systems that cannot operate in compliance with international human rights law or that pose undue risks to the enjoyment of human rights.”
Warnings against the technology are becoming increasingly prevalent, particularly concerning generative AI tools and the risks they pose to democracy and society, notably through the dissemination of fake images and speech in attempts to interfere in elections.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has prioritized AI regulation, advocating for the establishment of a UN entity modeled after other UN organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
He has consistently highlighted the potential for disinformation and recently cautioned about bias in technologies primarily developed by men, which could lead to algorithms that overlook the rights and needs of women.
“Male-dominated algorithms could essentially encode inequalities into various activities, from urban planning to credit ratings to medical imaging, for years to come,” he warned.
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Gowan of the International Crisis Group suggested that the US might not want Guterres leading this discussion due to its sensitivity and is thus “intervening to shape the discourse.”
A competition is underway among various UN member states, including the United States, China, and South Korea, to lead the way on this issue.
In October, the White House unveiled regulations intended to ensure US leadership in AI regulation, with President Joe Biden stressing the necessity of governing the technology.
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