The top row
The United States will lead a United Nations resolution on artificial intelligence on Thursday, the international body’s first on the powerful new technology, as Washington jockeys for a leadership role in the global governance of artificial intelligence amid mounting pressure to tackle China’s growing influence in the sector and faltering efforts to regulate it at home.
Members of the United Nations General Assembly are due to vote on an AI resolution on Thursday.
Basic elements
The analysiswhich was funded by the US and will be voted on by the UN General Assembly on Thursday, aims to “promote safe, secure and reliable artificial intelligence systems” and promote a “common approach” to the rapidly evolving technology.
The US proposal is co-sponsored by more than 50 other countries and urges all 193 UN member states to adopt “effective safeguards” for the use of artificial intelligence and ensure its development is “responsible and inclusive”. according in a draft seen by Bloomberg.
It aims to close the digital divide that separates the richest and poorest countries and ensure that all nations participate in shaping the global governance of artificial intelligence, according to the Associated Press.
In a statement to the Associated Press, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the resolution “will represent global support for a core set of principles for the development and use of artificial intelligence” and lays out “a path for well-leveraging artificial intelligence systems against risk management. “
The text also sets out a “shared vision” of principles that should govern all artificial intelligence systems, according to a common statement of the dozens of countries co-sponsoring the resolution, including a “human-centered” focus, “reliable, explainable, ethical, inclusive, privacy and accountability,” as well as alignment with sustainable development and respect for human rights.
Does the resolution matter?
The resolution is not binding on member states, and its passage will not oblige countries to toe the line on AI governance or impose a specific set of rules. However, its passage would be important by highlighting a broad agreement on principles and future directions among countries, and would put pressure on countries that choose to avoid the framework. However, the text mainly skirts some of the most controversial areas of AI governance—the reported exclusion of military applications is particularly egregious—which is already a heated issue both within industry and among nations. Failure to address these, even in a non-binding way, leaves on the table many critical issues that are sure to shape the future of AI development and divide nations in the future. Given the prominent role that private companies play in the development of artificial intelligence, especially big tech companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, Baidu and OpenAI – which arguably play a bigger role than the government in shaping the technology – the agreement between states still leaves an opening for a comprehensive approach to dealing with the industry. The draft resolution, while addressing the private sector, appears to be relatively timid in this respect. According to Bloomberg, the draft simply “encourages” the private sector to follow relevant local and international AI laws.
Key background
Washington has been keen to assert itself as the world leader in AI in recent years, and US diplomats have made a concerted effort to step up and take the lead in global AI governance. A key driver of this is Washington’s desire to confront Beijing and its growing prominence on the world stage, as well as limit China’s influence on the issue as an artificial intelligence superpower with capabilities that rival its own. Washington’s efforts to lead global AI governance stand in stark contrast to its failure to regulate the industry at home. While there is a patchwork of regulation from existing laws and in individual states, comprehensive federal regulation of the important technology has yet to materialize and does not appear likely to in the near future.
Crucial passage
The paper focused heavily on the potential benefits that artificial intelligence could bring, especially to the United Nations meeting failure of development goals for 2030. The joint statement from the co-sponsors of the resolution states that artificial intelligence could be used to “address the world’s greatest challenges, including those related to poverty eradication, global health, food security, climate, energy and education”. Richard Gowan, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, he said AFP that “the focus on development is a deliberate US effort to win goodwill among poorer nations,” adding that “it’s easier to talk about how AI can help developing countries move forward than to deal with safety and security issues head on. first initiative”.
Tangent line
USA According to reports began negotiations with UN member states on the artificial intelligence resolution about three months ago, according to the Associated Press, citing a senior US official. The country has reportedly spent hundreds of hours in direct talks with individual nations and 42 hours in negotiations, involving 120 countries.
Further reading
