‘Take it critically’: UN Security Council meets for first time about AI dangers

The United Nations Security Council has been informed to “take AI seriously” because it met for the primary time to debate the dangers and alternatives of synthetic intelligence.

In the first-ever session of its sort on the world’s prime diplomatic physique, representatives from the 15 member international locations heard how AI poses “catastrophic risks for humans” but additionally a “historic opportunity”.

Chaired by Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, the chamber heard from Jack Clark, co-founder of main AI firm Anthropic, and Professor Zeng Yi, co-director of the China-UK Research Center for AI Ethics and Governance.

“No country will be untouched by AI, so we must involve and engage the widest coalition of international actors from all sectors,” Mr Cleverly mentioned.

“Our shared goal will be to consider the risks of AI and decide how they can be reduced through coordinated action.”

The Security Council members heard from two consultants who outlined what they consider to be the immense alternative OF AI but additionally the intense dangers it poses and the pressing want for world unity on the problem.

“We cannot leave the development of artificial intelligence solely to private sector actors,” Mr Clark mentioned. “Governments of the world must come together, develop state capacity, and make further development of powerful AI systems.”

He defined: “An AI system that can help us in understanding the science of biology may also be an AI system that can be used to construct biological weapons.”

He warned of the dangers of not understanding the expertise: “It is as if we’re constructing engines with out understanding the science of combustion.

“This means that once AI systems are developed and deployed, people identify new uses for them, unanticipated by their developers, many of these will be positive, but some could be misuses.”

Professor Zeng Yi, director of the Brain-inspired Cognitive Intelligence Lab, referred to as on the UN as a physique to take the topic critically.

“The United Nations must play a central role to set up a framework on AI for development and governance to ensure global peace and security,” the professor mentioned.

He warned: “AI risks human extinctions simply because we haven’t found a way to protect ourselves from AI’s utilisation on human weaknesses.”

Mr Clark added: “Even more challenging is the problem of chaotic or unpredictable behaviour. An AI system may, once deployed, exhibit subtle problems, which were not identified during its development.

“I’d problem these listening to this speech to not consider AI as a selected expertise, however as a substitute as a kind of human labour that may be purchased and bought on the pace of a pc and which is getting cheaper and extra succesful over time.”

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‘Huge questions’ over AI

The two witnesses raised particular open questions which they mentioned wanted pressing solutions. Who ought to have entry to the ability of AI? How ought to governments regulate this energy? Which actors ought to be capable to create and promote these so-called AI consultants? And what sorts of consultants can we permit to be created?

“These are huge questions,” Mr Clark mentioned. “Humans go through rigorous evaluation and on-the-job testing for many critical roles.”

Professor Zeng Yi added: “It is very funny, misleading and irresponsible that dialogue systems powered by generative AI always argue ‘I think, I suggest’.”

“Well,” he mentioned, “there are no ‘I’ or ‘me’ in the AI models. AI should never ever pretend to be human, take human positions or mislead humans to have the wrong perception. We should use generative AI to assist but never trust them to replace human decision-making.”

UK to host world AI summit

The UK is looking for a lead world position in driving ahead worldwide consensus on handle the AI dangers with the alternatives. Last month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak introduced that the UK will host the primary main world summit on AI security within the autumn.

As everlasting members of the Security Council, China welcomed the gathering.

In temporary feedback to Sky News earlier than the assembly, Ambassador Zhang Jun mentioned he “welcomed the meeting” which might “help to add understanding to the issue”.

Closing the session, Mr Cleverly mentioned: “Let us work together to ensure peace and security as we pass across the threshold of an unfamiliar world.”