The advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) should not be driven solely by market dynamics, according to a recent statement from UN experts. They emphasized the need for tools that promote global cooperation but stopped short of suggesting the creation of a robust international governing body to oversee the development and deployment of this technology, which raises concerns about biases, misuse, and dependency.
The 39-member panel said, “The accelerating development of AI concentrates power and wealth on a global scale, with geopolitical and geoeconomic implications. Moreover, no one currently understands all of AI’s inner workings enough to fully control its outputs or predict its evolution. Nor are decision-makers held accountable for developing, deploying or using systems they do not understand.”
The advisory body, set up by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in October, made seven suggestions in the report, including the creation of an AI data standard that would increase transparency and accountability and a fund designed to assist developing nations make the most of advances in technology.
The panel said, “Many countries face fiscal and resource constraints limiting their ability to use AI appropriately and effectively. Despite any capacity development efforts, some may still be unable to access training, compute, models and training data without international support. If the risks of AI become more serious, and more concentrated, it might become necessary for Member States to consider a more robust international institution with monitoring, reporting, verification, and enforcement powers,”
Since the 2022 release of ChatGPT, the AI-powered chatbot that generates human-like responses to user inquiries, discussions about the potential risks and benefits of AI have surged.
