The United Nations has released a report proposing the creation of a global AI governance body to monitor and regulate artificial intelligence. This comes as concerns about the risks and benefits of AI continue to rise.
The report, produced by the UN secretary general’s High Level Advisory Body on AI, recommends the creation of a body similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to gather up-to-date information on AI and its risks. It also calls for a new policy dialog on AI, where the UN’s 193 members can discuss risks and agree upon actions.
According to Alondra Nelson, a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study, “You’ve got an international community that agrees there are both harms and risks as well as opportunities presented by AI.” The report’s recommendations reflect high interest among policymakers worldwide in regulating AI to mitigate these risks.
The UN proposals come as major powers, including the United States and China, jostle to lead in AI. While the UN has introduced resolutions on AI, there are still key differences in what norms and values should be embodied by AI and protections around privacy and personal data.
Experts agree that the UN will not be able to manage global cooperation alone and that individual nations must also work on it directly. As Chris Russell, a professor at Oxford University, notes, “Working internationally and pooling our efforts makes a lot of sense.” The devil will be in the details of implementation, and it remains to be seen how the UN and its member states will follow through on the blueprint for cooperation.