The danger of unlimited artificial intelligence has not gone unnoticed by world powers. While we have yet to create a “super intelligent AI”, modern life sees the technology incorporated into nearly every facet of life. As such, we need to think about the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and how the technology should be regulated.
That regulation has been a long time coming, but it looks like real action is finally being taken. After months of deliberation, the United Nations has agreed to impose limits on AI. However, these limits are only meant to protect humanity, not limit the tech’s applications.
What is the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence agreement?
Announced by the UN, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has created a text that defines the “common values and principles needed to ensure the healthy development of AI”. This text aims to allow AI to continue its growth while tackling its present and future issues.
For example, the primary cause of this text is to tackle massive “gender and ethnic bias” that plagues modern AI. With artificial intelligence used in facial recognition, audio tools and more, software often shows huge bias.
“We see increased gender and ethnic bias, significant threats to privacy, dignity and agency, dangers of mass surveillance, and increased use of unreliable AI technologies in law enforcement, to name a few. Until now, there were no universal standards to provide an answer to these issues”, UNESCO announced.
The agreement aims to reduce or eliminate bias, protect individuals’ data and keep AI “energy and resource-efficient”. UNESCO will help the UN’s 193 Member States to implement changes and continue to make AI safe.
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Artificial Intelligence is a good thing for our future
Despite imposing regulations on the technology, the United Nations isn't against artificial intelligence. In the announcement, the governmental body claims that AI is “a positive contribution to humanity”.
Part of the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence agreement allows the UN to help in the growth of artificial intelligence. This means that the UN won't restrict the growth of the tech, but instead help to keep it safe as it continues to grow.
UNESCO’s Assistant Director General for Social and Human Sciences, Gabriela Ramos, said:
“Decisions impacting millions of people should be fair, transparent and contestable. These new technologies must help us address the major challenges in our world today, such as increased inequalities and the environmental crisis, and not deepening them.”
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