UN hosts 'AI for Good global summit' to shape the future of artificial intelligence

Geneva: The United Nations is bringing together a diverse group of experts from renowned companies, including Microsoft and Amazon, along with prominent individuals in the field of technology to engage in discussions on artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential for humanity. The two-day "AI for Good Global Summit" in Geneva aims to establish a comprehensive roadmap for governing AI, addressing its rapid development and the need to define its boundaries.

Notable participants include Werner Vogels, Amazon's chief technology officer; Lila Ibrahim, chief operating officer of Google DeepMind; and Iker Casillas, former captain of the Spain national football team and an advocate for AI in heart attack prevention. The event will also feature a variety of robots, including Ai-Da - the ultra-realistic robot artist and Grace - an advanced healthcare robot.

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, head of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), emphasised the urgency of the summit and said, "This technology is moving fast. It's a real opportunity for the world's leading voices on AI to come together on the global stage and address governance issues." He also highlighted the necessity of proactive engagement to ensure a responsible future with AI, as doing nothing is not an option when humanity's dependence on this technology is at stake. He also stressed the importance of AI not exacerbating social inequalities or perpetuating biases related to race, gender, politics, culture, religion, or wealth.

The summit will delve into frameworks and guidelines that promote the safe and responsible use of AI. UN Chief Antonio Guterres expressed his hope that the summit would ensure AI is harnessed in a manner that benefits humanity.

The ITU, established in 1865 intends to bring its extensive experience to AI governance. As the oldest agency within the UN, it has a history of pioneering critical advancements, such as the internationally recognised SOS distress signal. The summit aims to explore AI's potential to accelerate progress toward the UN's sustainable development goals, addressing crucial areas such as healthcare, climate change, poverty, hunger, and access to clean water.

While AI is celebrated for its transformative potential in various domains, concerns exist regarding its impact on democratic systems.

Recently, European Union lawmakers moved closer to passing pioneering legislation to regulate AI systems such as OpenAI's ChatGPT. Similar calls for AI regulation are growing in the United States. ChatGPT, a widely popular AI language model, has prompted lawmakers to grapple with the challenges of regulating such technologies.

Juan Lavista Ferres, the chief data scientist of the Microsoft AI For Good Lab, illustrated how AI can improve lives, citing its potential to aid in diagnosing diabetes-related blindness. With a large number of patients and a shortage of ophthalmologists, AI models can accurately identify the condition, even from a smartphone. In this context, AI represents not just a solution but the only feasible one.