United Nations establishes A.I. advisory committee

2023 10 26T185832Z 841672247 MT1ANADL000HHJSQ4 RTRMADP 3 ANADOLU scaled
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 26: The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to the press on Artificial Intelligence along with Amandeep Singh Gill (not seen), Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology and Ilze Brands Kehris (not seen), Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights at the UN Headquarters in New York, United States on October 26, 2023. Selcuk Acar / AnadoluNo Use USA No use UK No use Canada No use France No use Japan No use Italy No use Australia No use Spain No use Belgium No use Korea No use South Africa No use Hong Kong No use New Zealand No use Turkey

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced on Thursday the establishment of a 39-member advisory committee tasked with addressing issues related to the global governance of artificial intelligence (AI).

This committee comprises individuals from various backgrounds, including technology company executives, government officials from countries like Spain and Saudi Arabia, as well as academics hailing from nations such as the United States, Russia, and Japan. Prominent figures from the technology sector, such as Sony’s Chief Technology Officer Hiroaki Kitano, OpenAI’s Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati, and Microsoft’s Chief Responsible AI Officer Natasha Crampton, are part of this advisory body.

The committee members come from all continents, offering diverse perspectives and experiences. Notable individuals include AI expert Vilas Dhar from the United States and Professor Yi Zeng from China, along with Egyptian lawyer Mohamed Farahat.

António Guterres emphasized the tremendous positive impact of AI, acknowledging its potential for transformative change. However, he also highlighted the inherent risks, cautioning that the malicious use of AI could erode trust in institutions, undermine social cohesion, and pose a threat to democracy.

Since OpenAI introduced ChatGPT last year, interest in this technology has rapidly expanded worldwide, prompting AI researchers to express concern about its societal risks. While many governments are actively working on legislation to regulate AI, there is a growing call for global collaboration in this endeavour.

The United Nations advisory committee aims to provide initial recommendations by the end of the current year and final recommendations by the summer of 2024.

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