UN advisory body pushes recommendations to address AI-related risks
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Only a handful of countries have created laws to govern the spread of AI tools.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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STOCKHOLM – An artificial-intelligence advisory body at the United Nations on Sept 19 released its final report proposing seven recommendations to address AI-related risks and gaps in governance.
The UN in 2023 created a 39-member advisory body to address issues in the international governance of AI
The advisory body called for the establishment of a panel to provide impartial and reliable scientific knowledge about AI and address information asymmetries between AI labs and the rest of the world.
Since the release of Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022, the use of AI has spread rapidly, raising concerns about fueling misinformation, fake news and infringement of copyrighted material.
Only a handful of countries have created laws to govern the spread of AI tools.
The European Union has been ahead of the rest by passing a comprehensive AI Act,
The US was among about 60 countries that endorsed a “blueprint for action” to govern responsible use of AI in the military on Sept 10, while China did not support the legally non-binding document.
With the development of AI in the hands of a few multinational companies, there is a danger that the technology could be imposed on people without them having a say in how it is used, the UN said in a statement.
It also recommended a new policy dialogue on AI governance, creating an AI standards exchange and a global AI capacity development network to boost governance capacities.
Among other proposals, the UN wants a global AI fund to be established, which would address gaps in capacity and collaboration. It also advocates the formation of a global AI data framework to ensure transparency and accountability.
Finally, the UN report proposed setting up a small AI office to support and coordinate the implementation of these proposals. REUTERS
