UN Adopts First Global Artificial Intelligence Resolution

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted the first global resolution on artificial intelligence to encourage protecting personal data, monitoring AI for risks, and safeguarding human rights, U.S. officials said. The nonbinding resolution, proposed by the United States and co-sponsored by China and 121 other nations, took three months to negotiate and also advocates strengthening privacy policies, the officials said, briefing reporters before the resolution's passage. "We're sailing in choppy waters with the fast-changing technology, which means that its more important than ever to steer by the light of our values," said one of the senior administration officials, describing the resolution as the "first-ever truly global consensus document on AI."

"The improper or malicious design, development, deployment and use of artificial intelligence systems ... pose risks that could ... undercut the protection, promotion and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms," the measure says. Asked whether negotiators faced resistance from Russia or China -- U.N. member states that also voted in favor of the document -- the officials conceded there were "lots of heated conversations. ... But we actively engaged with China, Russia, Cuba, other countries that often don't see eye to eye with us on issues." "We believe the resolution strikes the appropriate balance between furthering development, while continuing to protect human rights," said one of the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

I, for one...

[Brain-Fu]

...am looking forward to the Butlerian Jihad.

Looking forward to recognizing irony and AI rights

[Paul Fernhout]

As I suggest here: https://pdfernhout.net/recogni... [pdfernhout.net]
"The big problem is that all these new war machines [and companies] and the surrounding infrastructure are created with the tools of abundance. The irony is that these tools of abundance are being wielded by people still obsessed with fighting over scarcity. So, the scarcity-based political mindset driving the military [and economic] uses the technologies of abundance to create artificial scarcity. That is a tremendously deep irony that remains so far unap

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Re:

[ffkom]

Indeed, looking at the history of UN resolutions, they never seemed to make any difference. They are routinely ignored by the usual suspect bully countries.

Re:

[Can'tNot]

How does it exclude China? I looked at your link, though I didn't read it carefully. Could you point me to that section?

Maybe the UN should start using it

[GregMmm]

Since no one in the UN has any intelligence...

Re:

[nightflameauto]

How about they first prove they can successfully managing a lemonade stand.

Don't go giving them ideas! Now we'll end up with non-sanctioned lemonade stands being bombed into oblivion, and little Amanda down the street had enough troubles with her big brothers tearing down her sign last summer.

asymmetric warfare

[ZipNada]

Sadly, it seems almost inevitable that as AI gets way smarter and cheaper and less energy-intensive it will be used for nefarious purposes. These folks at the UN surely are aware of this and I'm glad they are attempting to keep a lid on it but the temptation will be too great for some people to resist. Some open source implementation will eventually be sufficiently powerful to enable anyone with a few mill to wreak nasty havoc, and one of the terrorist groups will do that deed. Hopefully there will be defen

Natural Intelligence Required First

[manlygeek]

Actually, I'm sure the room was filled with "smart" people. But I think it's more than a bit naive to think a nonbinding agreement will be honored once AI is used in conjunction with warfighting capability, or for economic advantage. Oops, too late!!. At least in the nuclear realm we have/had MADD. AI will be much harder to gauge or rein in. The AI that reaches AGI first will be the only one that exists, or so the Sci-Fi trope goes. Those tropes have a way of becoming history before you know it.

whew

[argStyopa]

Now I feel safe, the U.N.are in the job.