UN Advisory Body Issues Seven Recommendations for AI Governance, According to Reuters

By Supantha Mukherjee

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – An advisory body on artificial intelligence at the United Nations released its final report on Thursday, outlining seven recommendations aimed at addressing the risks associated with AI and gaps in its governance.

Last year, the U.N. formed a 39-member advisory group to tackle issues pertinent to the international governance of AI. The recommendations are set to be discussed at an upcoming U.N. summit scheduled for September.

The advisory body emphasized the need to establish a panel dedicated to providing impartial and reliable scientific knowledge about AI, in order to mitigate information disparities between AI laboratories and the broader public.

The rapid proliferation of AI technology since the launch of Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022 has raised significant concerns, particularly regarding misinformation, fake news, and copyright violations.

Currently, only a few nations have implemented laws regulating the use of AI tools. The European Union has taken the lead by enacting a comprehensive AI Act, while the United States has adopted a more flexible approach centered on voluntary compliance. In contrast, China focuses on maintaining social stability and state oversight.

The United States was among approximately 60 countries that endorsed a "blueprint for action" for the responsible military use of AI on September 10, whereas China did not support this non-binding accord.

With the advancement of AI concentrated within a small number of multinational corporations, the U.N. cautioned against the potential for technology to be enforced upon people without their input regarding its application.

In addition, the advisory body proposed initiating a new policy dialogue on AI governance, establishing an AI standards exchange, and creating a global network for AI capacity development to enhance governance capabilities.

Among other recommendations, the U.N. proposed the creation of a global AI fund to help bridge capacity and collaboration gaps, as well as the establishment of a global framework for AI data to ensure transparency and accountability.

Lastly, the report suggested the formation of a small dedicated AI office to support and facilitate the implementation of these proposals.