Guterres: The future of artificial intelligence must be shaped with the participation of all humanity

In his speech during the opening session of the World Conference on Artificial Intelligence in the Chinese city of Shanghai, today, Friday, Guterres described artificial intelligence as “the greatest opportunity for humanity in the twenty-first century,” but at the same time he warned that it may also become “one of its greatest risks.”

He said: “The technology that will shape the future of humanity must be formulated with the participation of all humanity,” stressing that the governance of artificial intelligence “It cannot be controlled by a limited number of countries or companies. Every country has the right to have a seat at the table.”

Progress in governance

During the past year, the United Nations intensified its efforts in the field of artificial intelligence governance, following the adoption of the Global Digital Charter and the establishment of the independent international scientific team on artificial intelligence, with the support of the United Nations General Assembly, which is the first global scientific team concerned with this technology.

Earlier this month, the first session of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance was held in Geneva, bringing together governments and stakeholders for open, transparent and inclusive discussions on how to govern this technology.

These initiatives aim to enable countries to exchange experiences, promote common standards, and ensure stronger participation of developing countries in shaping the future of artificial intelligence.

Guterres stressed that the next stage must focus on transforming these commitments into practical support, allowing all countries to benefit from the rapid development in this field.

Bridging the digital divide

The Secretary-General said that artificial intelligence has tremendous potential to accelerate medical discoveries, transform education, strengthen food systems, and create job opportunities, thus driving progress towards achieving the sustainable development goals.

However, he warned that many developing countries were still at risk of being left behind.

He added: “A third of humanity is still offline”Pointing out that computer capabilities, technical expertise, and investments are still highly concentrated in a limited number of countries and companies.

He explained that if these gaps are not addressed, AI could lead to “further inequalities and widening gaps in income, opportunity and security.”

To help narrow these gaps, Guterres said that more than 20 countries, including China, have already nominated centers to join the Global Network for the Exchange of Experiences and Cooperation in Building Capacities in the Field of Artificial Intelligence, an initiative supported by the United Nations.

He also announced that he would soon make recommendations on establishing a global fund for artificial intelligence, calling on governments to support these two initiatives.

Three priorities

The Secretary-General has identified three priorities to ensure that everyone benefits from artificial intelligence: strengthening capabilities in developing countries, setting international standards for safety, and making artificial intelligence more environmentally sustainable.

He said that developing countries should have the necessary tools to build artificial intelligence systems based on their data, languages ​​and local expertise, and he also called on governments to adopt common approaches to testing these systems and managing their risks based on international law.

He added: “Human rights must be protected,” stressing that “human beings must maintain control over every decision related to life or death.” He also stressed that “no artificial intelligence system should be placed in the hands of children before ensuring its safety.”

Regarding sustainability, Guterres called on major artificial intelligence companies to disclose the environmental footprint of their systems and run their operations using renewable energy by 2030. He also urged governments to integrate the clean energy needed to operate artificial intelligence into their national plans.

He concluded by saying: “The crucial question is whether this transformation will reduce or reinforce inequalities, whether it will concentrate power in the hands of a few or expand the circle of opportunity.”