The United Nations Security Council will hold its first formal discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) this week in New York, with Britain to call for an international dialogue about its impact on global peace and security. Governments worldwide are considering how to mitigate the dangers of emerging AI technology, which could reshape the global economy and change the international security landscape forever.
The Security Council’s meeting, announced by UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward on Monday, will feature international experts’ briefings and address how to regulate the growing field of advanced AI. The meeting is the central element of the United Kingdom’s presidency of the Security Council this month.
Almost everyone agrees that advances in AI can be beneficial, but the technology also raises significant concerns. Some fear AI will automate jobs and lead to economic shifts and inequalities, while others worry that it could be used to develop weaponized systems or control nuclear weapons.
In June, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres backed a proposal by some artificial intelligence executives to create an international watchdog body that would govern AI technology. Such a body would assess AI governance arrangements and recommend aligning them more with human rights and the rule of law.
This month’s UN Security Council discussion reflects the increasing recognition that governments cannot do this alone. Instead, the private sector must join efforts to improve and protect the integrity of the information that underpins our societies. It must do so in a way that enables us to capture the benefits of AI while mitigating its risks.
The private sector should help lead by setting standards for ethical and safe AI, building employee capabilities to support AI use cases, investing in AI initiatives, and promoting a consistent approach to the risks of emerging technologies. In doing so, it will create the foundation to ensure that the benefits of AI are shared equally by all people and countries.
Business leaders should follow the example of the Department of Commerce, which has launched an effort to establish nongovernmental regulators, audits, and certification processes to enable consumers and businesses to identify and purchase ethical and trusted AI products and services. This will provide market incentives to promote responsible AI development and put pressure on companies that do not act quickly enough to meet consumer demand for such solutions.
All of us, from the founders of the first AI companies to those who are only now aware of its risks, should think about the story of Goethe’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, animated in Disney’s classic Fantasia. Like the sorcerer in the story, many AI developers hope to create magical solutions that will benefit society. But it is increasingly evident that they may face a real-life version of the story, in which the wizard’s misguided actions unleash forces that could destroy everything in sight. It’s up to lawmakers and business and academic leaders to play the role of the sorcerer and keep the magic in check.
