On Friday, the United Nations Human Rights Council approved a resolution calling on the international community to take protection and oversight measures in relation to artificial intelligence.
The resolution, sponsored by South Korea, Austria, Brazil, Denmark, Morocco and Singapore, was adopted unanimously. China and India did not join the consensus. Beijing said the text contained “controversial” elements, without elaborating.
The resolution calls for enhancing the “transparency” of AI systems and for the “collection, use, sharing, storage and disposal of data on this technology” in accordance with human rights-compliant methods.
“We fully agree that this decision underscores, among other things, the need for preventive measures (…) and human oversight in relation to artificial intelligence,” said Belgian Ambassador Marc Pecstein de Boitswerve on behalf of the European Union. He called for a “cautious approach” to ensure human rights are protected and respected in a world characterized by rapid technological development.
“A step forward”
This decision highlights the importance of “ensuring, promoting and protecting human rights throughout the life cycle of AI systems,” said South Korean Ambassador Yoon Seong-duk. His US counterpart Michelle Taylor said the decision was “a step forward”.
Artificial intelligence systems, which are technically very complex, are as fascinating as they are annoying. It can save lives by enabling a quantum leap in medical diagnosis, but it can also be used by authoritarian regimes to monitor large numbers of citizens.
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