The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has unanimously adopted the first global resolution on artificial intelligence (AI) to encourage countries to safeguard human rights, protect personal data, and monitor AI for risks, as reported by Reuters on March 21. This non-binding resolution, proposed by the US and backed by China and more than 120 other countries, also calls for the reinforcement of privacy policies.Recognizing the rapid acceleration of AI development and application, this landmark resolution stresses the urgency of achieving global consensus on safe, secure,and trustworthy AI systems. It aims to bridge the digital gap between developed countries and developing countries and ensure no country is left behind in AI discussions. Furthermore, the resolution is intended to equip developing countries with the necessary technology and capabilities to take advantage of AI’s benefits, such as disease detection, flood prediction, and workforce training for future generations.

The UN resolution came shortly after the EU’s approval of the Artificial Intelligence Act, the first comprehensive AI law in the world. The main idea of the law is to regulate AI based on its capacity to cause harm to society. For instance, AI systems applied in critical areas of infrastructure, education, healthcare, and law enforcement will be labeled as “high-risk” and subject tostrict regulations. In contrast, the UN resolution focuses more on encouraging nations to build safe and trustworthy AI systems that benefit all humanity. A crucial target of the resolution is using AI to help progress the UN’s lagging development goals for 2030, including ending hunger and poverty, enhancing global health, ensuring quality secondary education for all children, and achieving gender equality.

Sources:

https://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity/un-adopts-first-global-artificial-intelligence-resolution-2024-03-21/

https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-artificial-intelligence-safety-resolution-vote-8079fe83111cced0f0717fdecefffb4d

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-21/us-rallies-support-at-un-to-align-safe-ai-systems-globally

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-68546450