New York: On Tuesday the United Nations Security Council held its meeting to address the threats that artificial intelligence poses to worldwide peace and stability. Antonio Guterres, the Secretary General of the UN emphasized the need, for establishing an organization dedicated to regulating the utilization of AI. He highlighted the need for globally agreed-upon rules and regulations to monitor and oversee AI technology’s risks and benefits.
Guterres specifically called for a legally binding agreement by 2026, prohibiting the use of AI in automated weapons of war. In his tweet he highlighted the significance of addressing AI with a sense of urgency considering it from a perspective and being open, to learning.
During the meeting, Russia expressed skepticism, questioning whether enough was known about the risks of AI to consider it a source of global instability. On the other hand, China insisted that UN rules should reflect the perspectives of developing countries and prevent AI from becoming a “runaway wild horse.” The Chinese government advocated for flexible international laws and norms to allow countries to establish their own national-level regulations concerning AI.
Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun criticized unnamed “developed countries” for attempting to achieve AI dominance, accusing them of creating technological barriers and hindering the technological development of other nations.
A representative from the United States refrained from directly addressing China’s accusations but stressed that no member state should utilize AI for censorship, repression, or disempowerment of people. This statement may be seen as an allusion to China’s use of AI technology for surveilling ethnic minorities.
The meeting, led by UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, highlighted the importance of tying international governance of AI to principles upholding freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, security, property rights, and privacy. Cleverly emphasized the impact of AI on global strategic stability, defense, deterrence, and moral accountability for lethal decisions on the battlefield.
The UN Secretary-General further advocated for the establishment of a UN watchdog as a governing body to regulate, monitor, and enforce AI regulations, drawing parallels to existing agencies that oversee aviation, climate, and nuclear energy.