Government officials, private sector leaders, academics, representatives from civil society and the United Nations have convened at the AI for Good Global Summit organized by the ITU. This groundbreaking event, following the recent impact of generative artificial intelligence, has emerged amidst a growing demand for AI governance and regulation.
During the summit, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the shared responsibility of ensuring that AI achieves its full potential while effectively addressing and minimizing potential harms. The focus lies in leveraging AI for sustainable development, as time is of the essence.
Despite the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development almost eight years ago, progress towards the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been insufficient. Poverty and hunger rates are increasing, while humanity faces an urgent triple crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.
Utilizing AI to realign efforts with the 2030 Agenda is no longer merely an opportunity; it has become an urgent responsibility in order to address these pressing global challenges.
A Global Movement
The AI for Good Global Summit, held for the first time in 2017, has served as a catalyst for what has now become a global movement. The AI for Good Neural Network has grown to include a community of 20,000 people and continues to expand.
AI for Good encompasses various activities such as the establishment of standards, the organization of machine learning challenges and the hosting of start-up competitions. It represents a concerted effort to globally scale the benefits of AI, both within and outside the United Nations.
The UN's sister agencies, totaling over 40, have designated AI for Good as the primary platform for AI within the UN.
Recently, a report was issued on more than 280 projects that utilize AI to address climate change, transform education, combat hunger, eliminate poverty and tackle other pressing issues outlined in the SDGs.
The current iteration of the AI for Good Global Summit aims to further the collective ambitions of advancing the SDGs.
At this crucial and historic moment, a call has been made for a better understanding of the regulations and guardrails necessary today for the inclusive, safe and responsible development and deployment of AI.
Concrete proposals are being sought to chart a path forward, with a focus on prioritizing human values.
The importance of AI benefiting everyone, including the 2.7 billion people still offline worldwide, is emphasized. Their inclusion in the design and use of AI is considered essential, particularly as they are at the core of the SDGs.
