UN General Assembly: What to expect as world leaders gather this week
Al JazeeraSep 05, 2023
UN Unanimously Passes AI Resolution
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The Facts
After three months of negotiations, the first-ever UN resolution on artificial intelligence (AI) has passed. It states that "improper or malicious design, development, deployment and use of" AI "pose risks" to human rights.
The document, which was approved by all 193 UN member states, does not mention the use of AI for military purposes.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The international community has rightly aligned itself with the US on this issue on behalf of a truly rules-based order. After months of negotiations and collaborative edits, this first-of-its-kind resolution not only calls for security and privacy measures but also to use AI as a means of enhancing wealth, education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability around the world.
Establishment-critical narrative
International AI resolutions won't mean much until governments agree not to use this technology for military purposes. Powerful governments like the US have already begun creating autonomous weapons, efforts that place everyone in grave danger. If the UN wants to show good faith to the world, it should restrict the use of autonomous weapons and prohibit the integration of this software into nuclear bombs.