AI for Good

The International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations (UN) agency specializing in information and communication technology, kicked off its annual AI for Good conference on May 30. The conference aims to promote positive uses of artificial intelligence, such as advancing global health, climate, and infrastructure. Partnering with 40 UN sister agencies and co-convening with the government of Switzerland, the conference strives to guide businesses, consumers, and governments.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres spoke at the beginning of the conference, stating, “artificial intelligence is changing our world and our lives.” He underlined the need to reduce AI bias, misinformation, and security threats “instead of aggravating them.” 

AI for Good is not the sole international conference addressing AI advancements. The second AI Safety Summit in Seoul, held May 21-22 this year, resulted in sixteen companies’ pledges to develop AI technology safely. These companies included Google, Meta, OpenAI, and more.

As AI continues to develop rapidly and regulations trail behind, the international community shares growing concerns about how to control these new technologies. Many embrace development to improve global issues, such as climate change. For instance, the IKI Project is an inter-agency climate initiative that utilizes AI to strengthen climate change adaptation in Sub-Saharan African humanitarian situations, supporting vulnerable communities by anticipating climate risks. In contrast, other groups view AI as a growing threat to humanity, worrying that unregulated AI will exacerbate and introduce new global problems.

Many nuances exist regarding the complex nature of artificial intelligence. Addressing all viewpoints poses a challenge to the international community. One solution includes international conferences such as AI for Good that maintain optimism towards our technological future.

Concerns for AI

One can ask whether international conferences effectively address potential threats from AI. Furthermore, uncertainty continues regarding what we should do with artificial intelligence. AI has flaws that should be considered to prevent further harm. These flaws primarily relate to the spread of disinformation on the internet, affecting global and domestic security. The impacts of AI, if mishandled or uncontrolled, can be catastrophic.

1. Election Disinformation

Regarding AI’s ability to spread false information, election disinformation is increasingly a challenge for nations across the globe. Free and low-cost generative AI services allow anyone to create high-quality “deepfakes.” Deepfakes tied to elections have been seen in Europe and Asia over the past year, and as many countries are holding elections this year, this is a highly relevant issue. The United States’ FBI Director Christopher Wray warned that generative AI makes it easy for “foreign adversaries to engage in malign influence.”

Deepfakes can prompt the public to question their trust in what they see and hear, encouraging citizens to vote for one candidate over another or even to refrain from voting altogether. A recent example of a deepfake in Bangladesh was a generated video of an opposition lawmaker in a bikini, which goes against the majority’s conservative Muslim views. These deepfakes’ creators are also challenging to track, making response efforts seem impossible. Researcher Lisa Reppell told AP News that “a world in which everything is suspect — and so everyone gets to choose what they believe — is also a world that’s challenging for a flourishing democracy.”

  2. Economic Influence

Other concerns for AI include its impact on the global economy. As the global economy downturns, trends show that firms automate their operations rather than rehire workers, leading to “jobless” recoveries. As AI develops, it will threaten a broader range of jobs, including higher-skilled cognitive jobs. IMF First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath says that without taking policy action now, we may see unprecedented job losses and levels of long-term unemployment.

Generative AI also poses a risk to global supply chains. The increasing accessibility of AI software and models encourages more companies to utilize them for predictions regarding production. This relationship may be convenient but can also prompt a dependence that can trigger forecasting errors and production issues. Hence, AI may amplify an economic downturn if the supply chain is too reliant.

What does our Future Hold?

Amid various hopes and concerns for AI’s role in foreign affairs, changes should be made to maintain peace. AI can easily be a tool for violence, such as political or economic violence, but it can also be a tool for nonviolence. Efforts to develop artificial intelligence should focus on utilizing it as a mechanism for peace.

We need not view AI as an “unknown” or something that should be feared. As history shows, othering something or someone is a common step towards inflicting violence against them. It may not necessarily be an act of violence, but stereotyping AI as something destructive or undeserving of our attention allows us to pass up the opportunity to bring about positive change. As AI for Good advocates, this change is possible as technology advances, as AI holds great power through its versatile abilities.

International conferences are one helpful way to move towards this positive relationship with AI on a global level. Collaboration and communication among people from many regions foster an environment where everyone strives to work for the world’s sake, not just their own groups’ interests. The division between countries or classes of people should be avoided, as this often leads to violence and harm.

Conferences need to occur more regularly. As mentioned, AI is developing exponentially fast, and keeping up with its advancements is difficult if the conversation only occurs once a year. Therefore, AI must stay at the forefront of the international community’s attention.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly altering the world. The international community must take greater measures to ensure that AI promotes peace rather than violence. We can utilize this new technology to solve global issues rather than create new ones. This requires consistent communication and collaboration around the globe. As Guterres said, we must “harness AI” for ourselves and connect the unconnected worldwide.