The UN Wants To Govern AI Amid Growing Risks, Comparing Its Urgency To Combating Climate Change

While artificial intelligence (AI) and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) are revolutionizing businesses, industries and the world at an unprecedented pace, the United Nations is calling for better controls for its development, according to its final report.

So, what did the United Nations’ report say about its recommended plans of AI governance? Let’s explore!

What Did The UN’s Report Say About AI Governance?

 

• According to a report published by the United Nations on its website, the international body wants to monitor and control AI. 

• In its final report titled “Governing AI for Humanity”, the UN’s high-level advisory body on artificial intelligence suggested the creation of a body that can gather the latest information on AI, as well as its risks.

• The idea is to enable a new policy dialog on AI, where the 193 UN member states can discuss potential risks and agree upon new governance actions.

• A major cause for concern stems from the fact that “no one currently understands all of AI’s inner workings enough to fully control its outputs or predict its evolution.”

• Furthermore, the report notes that decision-makers in charge for developing, deploying or using such systems aren’t held accountable, even if they don’t understand how such systems work.

• Ahead of this, it will help empower smaller nations to take part in the direction and development of AI, while bringing them access.

• The recommendation comes as the advisory body notes a wide range of risks, including AI bias, surveillance, hallucinations, disinformation and more, which could pose challenges to peace and security.

• Alondra Nelson, a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study who served on the UN advisory body at the recommendation of the White House and State Department, said, “You’ve got an international community that agrees there are both harms and risks as well as opportunities presented by AI.”

What Did The UN’s Report Say?

 

• Excerpts from the report read, “The development, deployment and use of such a technology cannot be left to the whims of markets alone.”

• “Left ungoverned, AI’s opportunities may not manifest or be distributed equitably. Widening digital divides could limit the benefits of AI to a handful of States, companies and individuals.”

• “We also spoke with those wary of darker futures, of division and unemployment, and even extinction. We do not know whether the utopian or dystopian future is more likely.”

• “We remain optimistic about the future with AI and its positive potential. That optimism depends, however, on realism about the risks and the inadequacy of structures and incentives currently in place.”

What Concerns Has AI Generated Lately?

 

• Among the various concerns raised by the UN, one included the impact the technology has on the environment. (The idea to form a body addressing AI oversight was similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change formed by the UN to tackle the global climate crisis.)

• A report by The Washington Post and researchers at the University of California, Riverside, measured the amount of water and power required to generate an average 100-word email using OpenAI’s GPT-4.

• Using the chatbot just once for a 100-word email requires 519 milliliters of water, which is a little more than 1 bottle.

• Furthermore, once a week for a year requires 27 liters, while once a week for a year for 10% of Americans or around 16 million people, requires 435,235,476 liters, equaling the water consumed by all Rhode Island households for 1.5 days.

• A week ago, Microsoft-owned LinkedIn quietly revealed it, along with its “affiliates”, were training generative AI models on user data, unless users opt out.

• However, Microsoft also recently reported findings that debunked false news, pinning it on Russian and Iranian propaganda groups.

• On the flip side, in a paradoxical situation, the emergence of AI-morphed deepfakes has given birth to the concept of “Deep Doubt”, where people can deny genuine images or videos citing deepfakes.

• On the other hand, AI industry leader NVIDIA joined hands with G42 to find climate solutions using an open AI-powered system capable of interactive and high-resolution simulations to improve climate and weather forecasting globally.

• “The Earth-2 Climate Tech Lab will propel environmental solutions using the most advanced accelerated computing and AI technology to benefit millions of people around the world,” said Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of NVIDIA.

The benefits of AI have businesses investing billions of dollars in sourcing materials, strengthening their infrastructure and building applications and tools to remain relevant in the industry.

In this regard, Microsoft, BlackRock, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and MGX revealed a new AI investment partnership that plans to raise $30 billion in private equity capital going up to $100 billion.

With such big sums being invested, do you think the UN has a valid point in calling for a body to monitor and govern AI globally? Do you think the development of such technology should be left to the discretion of the businesses building it?

Let us know in the comments below!