UN scientists warned on Thursday that market forces alone should not drive the development of artificial intelligence, advocating instead for the development of instruments for international collaboration.
However, they refrained from proposing the establishment of a strong global regulatory authority to supervise the implementation and advancement of a technology whose widespread usage has sparked concerns about biases, abuse, and dependence.
The team, which consists of about forty specialists in technology, law, and data protection, was formed in October by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Their research, which was released just days before the high-profile “Summit of the Future,” expresses concerns about the absence of global AI governance and the effective exclusion of developing nations from discussions over the direction of the technology.
Out of the 193 members of the UN, just seven are involved in the seven major AI-related efforts, while 118 members—mostly countries in the global south—are completely absent.
The experts caution in their research that “there is, today, a global governance deficit with respect to AI,” which is by its very nature cross-border.
This week, Guterres declared, “AI must serve humanity equitably and safely.”“Left unchecked, the dangers posed by artificial intelligence could have serious implications for democracy, peace, and stability.”
