UNSC First Meeting on AI Threats, Officials Call for Regulation of AI

 The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held its first meeting on the threats Artificial Intelligence(AI) poses to international peace and stability on Tuesday, July 19 in New York. The agenda for the meeting was reportedly an urgent confrontation of the international community on the new reality of generative and other artificial intelligence(AI).

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for creating a new international body to help govern the use of AI, reported New York Times. Guterres said that the technology increasingly reveals its potential risks and benefits and the UN has an opportunity to set globally agreed-upon rules of the road for monitoring and regulating. Furthermore, he said that the United Nations must come up with a legally binding agreement by 2026 banning the use of AI in automated weapons of war.

"Today I urged the Security Council to approach Artificial Intelligence with a sense of urgency, a global lens, and a learner's mindset. We must work together towards common measures for the transparency, accountability, and oversight of AI systems," Guterres tweeted.

What is the stand of nations on AI threats?

Governments from all around the world are debating how to mitigate the risk posed by developing AI technology, which has the potential to alter the global economy and the nature of international security.

The threats AI brings, such as its potential to escalate conflict through the dissemination of false information and harmful cyber operations, were alternately emphasized by Council members during the discussions that followed. Recognising the technology's potential military uses, many emphasized how important it is to keep human decision-making in autonomous weapon systems. Members emphasized the necessity of creating a morally sound framework for global AI governance.

"Whether it is good or evil depends on how mankind uses and regulates it, and how the balance is struck between scientific development and security.  AI development must ensure safety, risk-awareness, fairness, and inclusivity, he stressed, calling on the international community to put ethics first and ensure that technology always benefits humanity, "said Zhang Jun the Chinese Representative.

Russia, deviating from the Council's consensus, express skepticism that enough was known about AI's hazards to suggest that they pose a threat to global instability, reported New York Times.