United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed that artificial intelligence technology can only be safely managed with common rules, calling on governments "not to wait to take necessary measures on this issue." Guterres assessed the first preliminary report of the Independent International AI Scientific Panel, established in February, during a press conference at the UN Headquarters in New York.
Stating that the panel's aim is to help the world distinguish truth from falsehood and science from nonsense, Guterres said, "At a time when a reliable and impartial understanding of AI has never been more critical, we expect them to provide an authoritative reference point."
Guterres noted that artificial intelligence has extraordinary potential, saying, "Used well, AI can be the most powerful development engine accelerating the world's progress in every field, from health to learning and climate." However, he warned that without common rules, as AI advances, governments and people will have less say over the outcomes.
Three main findings: Speed is not slowing, power is concentrating, control is not guaranteed
Maria Ressa, co-chair of the panel, joined the meeting via video conference and conveyed that three main points stood out in the report: The speed of AI technology is not slowing, power is concentrated in certain points, and control in this field is not guaranteed. Ressa said, "A handful of companies and a handful of countries are making the most important decisions about humanity's future. The US alone accounts for 75 percent of the computing power in the world's largest AI clusters, and control is not guaranteed."
Noting that when a society's information sources are poisoned and lies are repeated millions of times, they are accepted as truth, Ressa commented, "Now add generative AI to that; the same scenario is being applied faster, cheaper, and more personalized to each of us. Without facts, there is no truth; without truth, there is no trust."
Co-chair Yoshua Bengio stated that the panel offers an independent assessment of the current state of AI science. Bengio said, "The goal is not to provide recommendations but to ensure that policy decisions are informed by the highest standards of scientific integrity, free from external pressures and preferences."
Report to be discussed in Geneva
The Independent International AI Scientific Panel, established under the UN in February and comprising scientists from 40 different countries, aims to assess the real effects of artificial intelligence on economies and societies and serve all humanity. The findings of the first preliminary report will be presented to governments and discussed at the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, on July 6-7.
Ridvan Sezer | Editor-in-Chief
