The focus of a two-day forum that opened in Geneva at the International Conference Centre (CICG) on Thursday, 29 May, is how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help advance efforts to build a more just and inclusive global future for both people and the planet. The AI for Good Global Summit, a significant event organized by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), brings together leading AI and digital solutions experts to address some of the world’s most critical issues, from emerging AI applications to governance and ethical considerations.
Prior to the opening, UN News’s Anton Uspensky had an insightful conversation with Robert Opp, the Chief Digital Officer of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). They discussed how the agency integrates AI into its work, the benefits of new technologies, and why people should not fear robots. Sabhanaz Rashid Diya, Senior Fellow at the Centre of International Governance Innovation, underscored the importance of closing the Global North-South opportunity gap and ensuring economic mobility by safeguarding fundamental rights.
Along this path, the Director of the Cyberspace International Governance Research Center, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, Lu Chuanying, stressed that “by strengthening its internal capabilities and fostering robust dialogue among various stakeholders, the summit can ensure a more coordinated and effective international AI governance landscape“.
The Centre for Global Studies (CGS), a key player in the field of AI governance, aligns its research with the UN SDGs and within the Summit for the Future framework. It underscores the urgency of AI and innovative technology governance as a strategic step for global security. The Italian Presidency of the G7 has also recognized the AI as a central agenda pillar.
The CGS is actively working to implement non-binding global guidelines that can assist states and the international community in governing the transformative phenomenon of AI progress. In the emerging world, malicious actors can exacerbate the instability of nation-states and populations. The immediate need for action and combining techno-realism and complex thinking is crucial.