The United Nations recently passed a major resolution that paves the way for global AI regulation and safety. The resolution was led by the United States and was backed by over 123 nations. It was eventually passed without a vote, essentially indicating that the resolution had the succinct approval of all 193 member states, indicating global demand for a structured AI regulation. The resolution aims to lay the groundwork for safe, secure, and trustworthy artificial intelligence protocols, that are out of bounds for nefarious actors. Given that generative AI and language models have grown massively popular and have begun percolating into a variety of different industries, the necessity of AI laws and regulations is growing by the day, indicating that the technology is bound to become a commonality across numerous mediums.
The resolution also takes into consideration the growing inequities in the world, specifically relating to the digital sphere. It aims to bridge the gap between developing and developed nations, aiding sustainable development across the board, while also factoring in the great disruptors of recent times—artificial intelligence and machine learning. So far, AI law has been rather difficult to compile, given that the growth of chatbots such as ChatGPT and Gemini has been rapid, often outpacing other aspects of human activity. This led to a considerable vacuum in the regulatory space, leaving several think tanks and government organizations scrambling their resources to put together a solid framework to base AI law.
What Does the United Nations’ AI Resolution Entail?
The UN resolution makes way for various countries to create their own AI laws.
The landmark resolution passed by the United Nations emphasizes the core values of the organization and the modern world, such as human rights, privacy, and the protection of human rights. Additionally, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) also recognized the role AI will play in solving complex problems faced by humankind, including climate change and numerous other factors such as growing income inequality. The resolution indicates the first time a global organization has taken action on the growing concerns surrounding artificial intelligence and large language models. Interestingly, the European Union has been ahead in this aspect, inching closer to enacting the first AI Act in the world, which defines the responsibilities of artificial intelligence firms and the norms they would have to abide by to operate in EU countries.
Interestingly, the resolution calls for the protection of human rights both online and offline, throughout the life-cycle of any given AI protocol. So far the onus of responsibility is not clear, given that there have been numerous conflicts about copyright and intellectual property rights. With the construction of these clauses, AI firms might have to pay extra attention to where they source their training data from. The safe use of AI was also emphasized, since there has been a sharp increase in the deployment of artificial intelligence for a variety of questionable activities, leading to a rise in AI-linked disinformation. Further, the resolution also called for state, private, and non-profit organizations to highlight and support regulatory mechanisms that work to aid the regulation of AI and associated systems.
The Impact of the UN’s Resolution on AI Law and Regulation
AI’s rapid expansion has led to several legal and legislative challenges.
United States Vice President, Kamala Harris, hailed the UN resolution and mentioned that the landmark decision from the UNGA establishes a benchmark for other nations to manage the risks of artificial intelligence along with mitigating its disadvantages. The UN resolution seeks to allay widespread concerns about artificial intelligence and machine learning impacting the economy, besides other concerning factors such as malicious design and vulnerabilities in AI systems. Further, the UN’s resolution on AI centralizes the importance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, making it the prime subject. The resolution comes at a time when several countries are involved in drafting their own AI policies in an attempt to address core questions around the security and safety of LLMs and their associated chatbots.
With growing inequities in the world, there’s also considerable reason to worry about the gap that exists between developed and developing nations. Disproportionate AI use in the former might lead to serious inequities, especially in the digital space, which might invariably lead to other forms of inequality in the future. The United Nations has addressed this as well and has stressed the need to rope in developing nations in the ongoing discussions surrounding artificial intelligence. The emphasis also falls on tech firms to ensure the AI protocols they create are secure by design, in guaranteeing the safety and privacy of the end user. Recent questions on user privacy as well as the safety of AI protocols have been of particular interest since these technologies are rapidly making their way into sensitive domains of human activity such as healthcare and banking.
The Future of AI Law
AI law is a necessity, given the ever-expanding scope of AI applications.
With the resolution passed by a global organization, the need for concrete AI frameworks and legal roadmaps for regulation has been ratified. Since most countries are just starting to build their frameworks for creating AI laws, the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly will serve as a foundation. With the necessary focus on responsible AI being emphasized, more nations will demand AI firms abide by set laws and practices necessary to protect the fundamental rights of citizens while also ensuring fair business standards and sustainable development. Additionally, it will also allay fears surrounding automation, jobs, and the economic impact of artificial intelligence worldwide.
FAQs
1. What does the UN AI resolution ratify?
The UN’s AI resolution serves to ensure human rights and fundamental freedoms and also seeks to emphasize the necessity of security and safety in artificial intelligence as it grows rapidly across industries and sectors.
2. When was the UN AI resolution adopted?
The United Nations adopted the AI resolution on March 21, 2024.
3. Who tabled the AI resolution in the United Nations?
The resolution on artificial intelligence was tabled by the United States and was backed by over 123 countries.