The United Nations has adopted a “historic” resolution on artificial intelligence safety.
According to the Associated Press, the General Assembly signed off on a resolution to ensure the technology benefits all nations.
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The United States and 123 countries sponsored the resolution. Russia, Cuba, and China were also active, resulting in the participation of all 193 U.N. member nations.
The countries worked together to decide the text of the resolution.
Following the vote, ambassadors from the Bahamas, Japan, the Netherlands, Morocco, the UK, and Singapore eagerly supported the decision at a news conference.
What Did Politicos Say About The Resolution?
The decision, which Vice President Kamala Harris referred to as “historic,” ensures the tech is “safe, secure, and trustworthy.”
The VP stated, “AI must be in the public interest – it must be adopted and advanced in a way that protects everyone from potential harm and ensures everyone is able to enjoy its benefits.”
Additionally, the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, referred to the resolution as “a landmark effort.” In addition, he stated it was “a first-of-its-kind global approach to the development and use” of AI.
President Biden stated last September at the General Assembly, that he was working to ensure AI would be used “for good while protecting our citizens from this most profound risk.”
An Ambassador Spoke Before The Vote
Before the vote at the General Assembly, U.S., Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield stated, “In a moment in which the world is seen to be agreeing on little, perhaps the most quietly radical aspect of this resolution is the wide consensus forged in the name of advancing progress.”
She added, “The United Nations and artificial intelligence are contemporaries, both born in the years following the Second World War.”
Thomas-Greenfield continued, “The two have grown and evolved in parallel. Today, as the U.N. and AI finally intersect, we have the opportunity and the responsibility to choose as one united global community to govern this technology rather than let it govern us.”
She concluded it was “a good day for the United Nations and a good day for multilateralism.”
Furthermore, the U.S. Ambassador stated she believed the respective countries came together seamlessly because the tech is progressing quickly.
“The technology is moving so fast that people don’t have a sense of what is happening and how it will impact them, particularly for countries in the developing world,” Thomas-Greenfield stated. “They want to know this technology will be available for them to take advantage of it in the future, so this resolution gives them that confidence. It’s just the first step. I’m not overplaying it, but it’s an important first step.”
Moreover, the resolution acknowledges that “the governance of artificial intelligence systems is an evolving area” and big tech brands have recognized the need for regulation without the rules being unbeneficial to them.
