The United Nations General Assembly has unanimously adopted the first global resolution on AI, aiming to protect personal data, enhance privacy policies, monitor AI for potential risks, and uphold human rights. The nonbinding agreement, proposed by the United States and backed by China and 121 other countries, is popular in the AI industry. Titled “Seizing the opportunities of safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems for sustainable development,” the resolution resulted from three months of negotiation and emphasizes international cooperation. It addresses concerns about AI undermining democratic processes, fraudulent activities, and significant job displacement. Despite anticipated resistance from nations like Russia and China, the resolution seeks to balance promoting development with safeguarding human rights. This marks the first “global” AI agreement with participation from every UN country, although it wasn’t the first multi-state international AI agreement. Other nations have also unveiled agreements focusing on secure AI systems, while Europe is progressing towards implementing comprehensive AI regulations. In contrast, the US government is still working to achieve consensus on legislative action related to AI regulation.
