The United Nations General Assembly, on March 21, 2024, adopted the first-ever global resolution on artificial intelligence (AI).
This decision underscores the international community’s commitment to ensuring AI technologies are developed and used in ways that safeguard human rights, protect personal data, and monitor potential risks associated with AI advancements.
Proposed by the United States and co-sponsored by China along with over 120 other nations, the nonbinding resolution represents a significant step toward establishing a global framework for the ethical development, deployment, and governance of AI technologies.
“Today, all 193 members of the United Nations General Assembly have spoken in one voice, and together, chosen to govern artificial intelligence rather than let it govern us,” remarked U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, highlighting the resolution’s unanimous support.
The resolution emerges amidst growing concerns over AI’s potential to disrupt democratic processes, amplify fraud, and lead to substantial job losses, among other societal and economic harms. It emphasizes the need for robust privacy policies and the monitoring of AI systems to prevent their misuse or malicious deployment.
“The improper or malicious design, development, deployment and use of artificial intelligence systems … pose risks that could … undercut the protection, promotion, and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms,” the resolution notes.
This initiative is part of a broader effort by governments worldwide to shape the trajectory of AI technology responsibly.
In November, the U.S., Britain, and more than a dozen other countries unveiled the first detailed international agreement on AI safety, advocating for the development of AI systems that are “secure by design” to protect against threats from rogue actors.
Despite recent efforts, People are still criticizing the UN:
Nice at least it is doing something 😅
— kingkhan 🐉 $MON 🛸 (@kingkha30555411) March 21, 2024
The UN’s adoption of this resolution marks a critical moment in the global governance of AI, offering a foundation for future actions to ensure that AI serves the common good.
However, People on the internet have a lot to say:
soon AI will be contaminated by ideology…. 3, 2, 1….
UN is gone ! need a complete reformulation and fire all that use the UN flag to disseminate ideologies, or clean or die as institution.— Paulo Matsumoto (@PauloMatsumoto) March 21, 2024
As the world stands at the brink of a new era shaped by artificial intelligence, this collective move by the UN General Assembly paves the way for a future where technology and humanity can coexist in harmony, guided by shared principles of safety, security, and respect for human rights.
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