A recent United Nations report emphasizes the need for global governance to regulate artificial intelligence, citing concerns about AI’s widespread implications and its alignment with sustainable development goals.
The United Nations’ “High-level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence” released a report titled “Governing AI for Humanity” in September, calling for the establishment of global governance to regulate artificial intelligence (AI). This comprehensive document highlights concerns about the potential risks AI poses to society and the necessity of global control to align AI with the U.N.’s sustainable development goals (SDGs).
The 99-page document, “Governing AI for Humanity,” outlines a growing “global governance deficit” regarding AI and suggests that neither private sector regulation nor national governments are equipped to manage the technology’s challenges. Instead, the report stresses the importance of a unified global approach to AI governance, arguing that the borderless nature of the technology demands international oversight.
“The imperative of global governance, in particular, is irrefutable,” the report states, noting that no one entity fully understands the inner workings of AI or is held accountable for its development, deployment, or impact. “Governing AI for Humanity” asserts that the private sector cannot adequately regulate AI and that national governments alone are not sufficient to address the global nature of the technology. The report calls for AI governance regimes that span the globe, ensuring cooperation across multiple jurisdictions.
The central theme of the report is the need to align AI with the U.N.’s sustainable development goals, a concept echoed throughout the text. Additionally, it proposes the creation of a “global fund for AI” to pool resources from various entities, including global vaccine organizations such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
The report goes on to state that current efforts to regulate AI internationally are inadequate. A chart in Chapter 2, on page 40, documents some existing attempts at AI governance, but the report identifies numerous “gaps” in these efforts. By suggesting that no single state or group of states can effectively govern AI alone, the U.N. underscores the need for a comprehensive global governance framework.
The “Governing AI for Humanity” report also emphasizes the importance of avoiding AI-related arms races or a “race to the bottom” on safety and rights. The proposed global governance would aim to ensure AI technology is used responsibly and to prevent its misuse across borders.
The U.N. advisory body’s report concludes with a call to action, urging policymakers and global leaders to implement its recommendations. The High-level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence, composed of 38 members from various sectors, is tasked with analyzing the global impact of AI and offering recommendations for international governance. The board, which is balanced by gender, age, geographic representation, and expertise, will serve in an advisory capacity to shape the future of AI governance on a global scale.
For more details, the full report can be accessed here.
