In a significant development, the United Nations General Assembly recently endorsed a decision aimed at shaping the trajectory of artificial intelligence (AI). The initiative, spearheaded by the United States and backed by a total of 123 countries, including China, garnered unanimous support from all 193 UN member states on March 2nd. This move reflects a global consensus on the need for oversight in the rapidly advancing field of AI.
Guiding Principles for AI Development
The endorsement encourages all nations to uphold human rights, ensure data privacy, and mitigate risks posed by AI technologies. With rising concerns over AI’s potential threats to democracy, increasing fraud, and significant job market impacts, this UN decision serves as a precaution. The decision highlights possible consequences if AI systems are misused or designed inaccurately, emphasizing the importance of preserving human rights and freedoms.
While UN General Assembly decisions are not legally binding, they are indicative of the international community’s stance. The decision calls upon various entities, including member nations, to foster regulatory measures that secure the safe deployment of AI systems.
Furthermore, the initiative seeks to narrow the technological gap between affluent and developing countries, ensuring inclusive global discussions about AI. It aims to empower less developed nations with the technology and expertise needed to harness AI for public benefits such as healthcare, environmental protection, agriculture, and job training.
Global Efforts to Secure AI
In November, several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, formed an international framework to protect AI from harmful exploitation. This framework advises tech companies to incorporate strong security features into AI systems and cautions against the use of AI in ways that could breach human rights or international laws. Technology firms have largely agreed on the necessity of AI regulations, seeking to influence these regulations in their favor. Concurrently, the European Union passed pioneering legislation on AI governance on March 13th, with implementation expected by mid-year. These EU regulations prohibit certain AI applications considered invasive or prejudicial. In the United States, the White House has also taken steps to bolster national security and reduce AI-related risks through an executive order issued last October.