But they balked at a proposal to establish a global governing body to oversee how the technology is deployed and improved.
The availability of AI tools already raises concerns that the technology could be biased, misused, or addictive.
In October, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres formed a group of approximately 40 experts in the fields of technology, law and data protection.
Their report, released days before the start of the Future Summit, raises concerns about the lack of global governance of artificial intelligence, as well as the fact that developing countries are effectively excluded from discussions about the future of the technology.
Of the 193 UN members, only seven participate in the seven main initiatives related to AI, while 118, mostly Southern Hemisphere countries, do not participate at all.
The experts warn in their report that “there is currently a lack of global governance in the field of AI”, which is transnational in nature.
“AI must serve humanity fairly and safely,” Guterres said this week.
“Unchecked, the dangers posed by artificial intelligence can threaten democracy, peace and stability,” he noted.
It is necessary to prepare before it is too late
In response to this call, experts called on UN members to develop mechanisms to help ensure global cooperation on the issue and prevent unplanned proliferation.
“The development, implementation and use of such technology cannot be subject to the whims of the market alone,” the report states.
It first calls for the creation of an AI scientific expert panel modeled after the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Expert Forum, whose reports summarize climate change goals.
The expert group would inform the international community about the emerging dangers, determine the feasibility of conducting scientific research, as well as how it could be used to reduce hunger, poverty, and gender inequality.
The proposal is included in the still-under-discussion draft of the Global Digital Compact, which is expected to be approved at the UN Future Summit on Sunday.
The report advocates the creation of a small-scale coordination structure within the UN Secretariat.
But it is not a full-fledged international governing body, as Mr. Guterres seeks, based on the model of the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“If AI risks become more serious and concentrated, member states may need to consider establishing a stronger international body with monitoring, reporting, verification and enforcement powers,” the report said.
Its authors acknowledge that the sheer rate of change in AI would make it pointless to attempt to compile an exhaustive list of the dangers posed by the ever-evolving technology.
However, they drew attention to the threat to democracy due to the rapid spread of disinformation, increasingly realistic synthetic imagery. deepfake) products, especially of a pornographic nature, as well as the development of autonomous weapons systems and the use of AI by criminal and terrorist groups.
“However, given the speed, autonomy and opacity of AI systems, waiting for a threat to emerge may mean that any response will be too late,” the report said.
“Continuous scientific assessments and political dialogue would ensure that there are no such unpleasant surprises in the world,” it emphasizes.
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2024-09-24 00:28:59
