The United Nations’ General Assembly will vote on Thursday on a resolution regarding artificial intelligence. This will be the first resolution from the UN on the topic and its goal is to ensure that AI benefits all countries, protects human rights, and is reliable and secure.

The resolution was proposed by the United States and they are hopeful that the international community will unanimously adopt it, with all 193 U.N. member nations in support.

According to Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Advisor, the adoption of this resolution would be a significant advancement towards promoting the responsible use of AI.

The resolution “would represent global support for a baseline set of principles for the development and use of AI and would lay out a path to leverage AI systems for good while managing the risks,” he said in a statement to The Associated Press earlier in March.

The proposed resolution has the goal of bridging the digital gap between affluent developed nations and underprivileged developing nations, ensuring equal participation in discussions regarding AI. It also aims to provide developing nations with the necessary technology and resources to reap the advantages of AI, such as disease detection, flood prediction, agricultural assistance, and future workforce training.

The draft acknowledges the rapid growth of AI advancements and usage and emphasizes the need for a global agreement on the safety, security, and reliability of artificial intelligence systems.

It acknowledges that the management of artificial intelligence systems is constantly developing and requires more discussion on potential approaches to governance.

Large technology companies have typically shown support for the regulation of AI, while also using their influence to ensure that any regulations are beneficial to them.

On March 13, European Union representatives granted their ultimate authorization for the world’s inaugural set of regulations for artificial intelligence. These rules are expected to become active in May or June, following a few remaining formalities.

Various nations globally, such as the United States and China, as well as the Group of 20 leading industrialized countries, are taking steps to create regulations for artificial intelligence. Additionally, the proposed resolution acknowledges the efforts of other U.N. initiatives, led by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the International Telecommunication Union, to promote the responsible use of AI for the betterment of society.

According to Sullivan, the US sought the General Assembly’s input on effectively addressing the consequences of AI’s rapid advancement through a worldwide discussion.

The proposed resolution by the United States urges all nations, regional and global groups, technology communities, civic organizations, media outlets, academic institutions, research centers, and individuals to create and endorse regulatory and governance methods and structures for secure AI systems.

The statement cautions against the misuse or intentional manipulation of artificial intelligence systems without proper safeguards or in violation of international laws.

The primary objective, as stated in the proposed resolution, is to utilize AI in order to drive advancement towards the U.N.’s 2030 development goals, which are currently falling behind. These goals include eradicating global hunger and poverty, enhancing global health, providing quality secondary education for all children, and attaining gender equality.

The proposal urges all 193 member countries of the United Nations and others to support developing nations in adopting digital advancements and ensuring the safety of AI systems. It stresses the importance of upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms in the implementation of artificial intelligence throughout its lifespan.

A senior official from the United States reported that negotiations with all United Nations members began approximately three months ago. This process involved numerous hours of direct talks with individual countries and a total of 42 hours spent in negotiations. Input from 120 nations was also considered. The official remains anonymous due to not being authorized to speak publicly, but stated that the resolution underwent multiple revisions and ultimately gained support from all member states last week.

Last week, AP was informed by U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield that the resolution’s goal is to establish a global agreement on a collective strategy for creating, building, implementing, and utilizing AI systems. This is specifically to aid in achieving the 2030 U.N. objectives.

If the proposal is accepted, she stated that it would mark a significant advancement in promoting secure and reliable AI on a global scale.

Source: wral.com