A new report by a UN panel of experts said Thursday that global regulation of the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence (AI) is needed, adding that the development and use of the technology “cannot be left solely to the whims of markets.”
“The very nature of technology, cross-border in its structure and application, makes a global approach necessary,” concludes the final report of the group appointed by the Secretary General of the UN.
Artificial intelligence is transforming our world, from opening up new areas of scientific research and optimizing energy grids, to improving public health and agriculture and promoting progress on all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
However, while there is enormous potential for good, if left ungoverned, the benefits of AI could be limited to just a handful of pioneering states, companies and individuals; and in an effort to mitigate these risks, the report proposes several recommendations for establishing a global AI governance framework.
Concern for human rights
The report also expresses serious concern about the ways in which AI can be used to violate human rights.
The raw materials themselves required for AI technologies, including critical minerals, are sourced globally, which leads to a battle for power and wealth over these scarce commodities on a global scale.
In addition, autonomous weapons systems could make decisions without human intervention, raising ethical and legal questions about accountability and the protection of civilians during conflict. The growing potential for an arms race driven by advances in this technology could also jeopardize human security.
AI bias and surveillance is another concern, as the creation and dissemination of disinformation could harm civilians.
Gaps emerge
Disparities are already beginning to emerge. In terms of representation, entire parts of the world have been left out of international conversations on AI governance.
For example, only seven countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US) are involved in seven major non-UN AI initiatives, while 118 countries, mainly from the Global South, do not participate in any.
“Equity demands that more voices play meaningful roles in decisions about how to govern the technology that affects us,” the report says.
“The concentration of decision-making in the AI technology sector cannot be justified; we must also recognise that many communities have historically been entirely excluded from AI governance conversations that affect them,” he adds.
Globally inclusive architecture
To address these concerns, the UN group of experts proposes several recommendations for regulating the use of AI.
The report’s recommendations include an independent international scientific panel on AI, a bi-annual intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder policy dialogue on AI governance to share best practices, and a global AI fund to bridge the digital divide.
The group also stressed that any deployment of AI in military environments must comply with international humanitarian law and human rights standardsand recommended that States establish robust legal frameworks and monitoring mechanisms.
Together, these recommendations call on UN Member States to lay the foundations for the first inclusive global architecture for AI governance based on international cooperation and transparency.
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