Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds immense promise for advancing various fields, yet it also presents certain potential threats that could adversely impact humanity. As AI systems become increasingly capable, concerns around privacy invasion, data security and autonomous decision-making rise to the fore. Moreover, the potential misuse of AI technology in areas like deepfake creation, autonomous weaponry, and surveillance, poses serious ethical and existential questions. The rise of ChatGPT, OpenAI’s creation, has added more fuel to the fire in this regard.
The ability of AI to perpetuate existing societal biases, if not designed or regulated carefully, is another area of concern. Engaging in comprehensive discourse and creating well-informed regulatory frameworks can be instrumental in mitigating these risks and ensuring that AI serves as a beneficial tool rather than a threat.
In light of this threat, Amandeep Gill — Under-Secretary-General and Tech Envoy for the United Nations — sat down with The Associated Press to delve into the hopes, concerns and inquiries surrounding AI.
According to Gill, the UN holds a distinctive position in ushering inclusiveness, legitimacy, and authority in this emerging domain. He underscores the importance of “bringing a lot many more countries together,” to foster a broader consensus on how AI should be governed.
“What really excites me [with AI] is the potential to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals by leveraging AI, particularly in the priority areas of health, agriculture, food security, education and the green transition.”
— Amandeep Gill
Gill emphasized that the UN’s history in managing the impact of various technologies confers a level of legitimacy, coupled with the authoritative impact of the UN’s instruments, such as human rights treaties. “When something comes out of the U.N., it can have an authoritative impact… it creates a kind of compliance pressure for living up to whatever commitments you may sign up for,” he noted.
He acknowledges the challenges the UN faces in galvanizing a large array of stakeholders, mentioning the need for a “meaningful, substantive discussion” involving the private sector, civil society, and the technology community. While the bureaucratic nature of the UN may pose a hurdle given the fast-evolving nature of AI, Gill stresses the necessity of agility in the UN processes.
When asked about the ability of governments to manage AI, Gill displayed optimism, asserting that governments can indeed influence AI’s direction to ensure it doesn’t undermine democracy or the rule of law. He also touched on the potential of AI in bridging digital divides, especially in the Global South, although he expressed concerns over the equitable distribution of AI’s benefits.
“What worries me [with AI] is that we let it go forward in a way that, one, deludes us about what AI is capable of; and two, leads to more concentration of tech and economic power in a few hands. These may be very well-intentioned individuals and companies, but democracy thrives in diversity, in competition, in openness.”
— Amandeep Gill
He further elaborated on the importance of global convergence in understanding the risks and governance tools associated with AI, aiming for a common understanding to be reached during the upcoming Summit of the Future, a UN meeting planned for September 2024.
Gill concluded on a hopeful note, excited about AI’s potential to expedite progress on Sustainable Development Goals in crucial areas like health, education, and the green transition. However, he also expressed worries about AI leading to a concentration of power, emphasizing that democracy thrives in diversity, competition, and openness. His balanced outlook exemplifies the global discourse on harnessing AI’s potential while mitigating its risks, underlining the crucial role of global bodies like the UN in navigating these uncharted waters.
With major corporations like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft rapidly advancing machine intelligence tools, a wide array of stakeholders including governments, businesses and prominent individuals such as Geoffrey Hinton, the ‘godfather of AI’, have voiced their concerns, believing humanity stands at a pivotal juncture and the time for urgent discussions to understand the implications of AI on their respective fields and environments is required.
Gill, the United Nations and others will be an important referee in such a debate now and in the future.
Featured image: Amandeep Gill. Credit: Mary Altaffer, AP
