Global: United Nations Launches Global Initiative to Address AI Governance Challenges

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced the formation of a 39-member advisory committee on October 26, with a mission to address global issues related to the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI).

This diverse committee includes a range of experts and representatives, encompassing leaders from the tech industry, government officials from countries such as Spain and Saudi Arabia, and scholars hailing from nations including the United States, Russia, and Japan. Among the distinguished committee members are Hiroaki Kitano, Chief Technology Officer of Sony; Mira Murati, CTO of OpenAI; and Natasha Crampton, Chief Responsible AI Officer of Microsoft. Furthermore, the committee comprises representatives from six continents, featuring individuals with diverse backgrounds such as AI expert Vilas Dhar from the United States, Professor Yi Zeng from China, and Egyptian lawyer Mohamed Farahat.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the profound and far-reaching impact of AI and the critical need to address the potential risks and challenges it presents. He underscored the following: “The profound positive impact of AI is challenging to fully comprehend. And without entering into a host of doomsday scenarios, it is already clear that the malicious use of AI could undermine trust in institutions, weaken social cohesion and threaten democracy itself.”

The increasing attention on AI’s societal implications, particularly since the introduction of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has prompted concerns from AI researchers worldwide. Governments have been actively working on legislation to regulate AI, leading to calls for enhanced international collaboration by researchers and policymakers alike.

The United Nations aims to present initial recommendations by the end of this year, with comprehensive guidelines scheduled for release in the summer of 2024. Immediate priorities for the committee include establishing a global scientific consensus on potential AI-related risks and challenges and fostering international cooperation in AI governance. The inaugural meeting of the committee is scheduled for October 27. This initiative represents a significant step towards addressing the complex governance challenges posed by artificial intelligence on a global scale.