The African Union (AU) has suggested that to attain sustainable development globally, developing countries should have increased representation and influence within global Artificial Intelligence(AI) governance structures.
The African Union Mission to the United Nations (UN), disclosed this during a Special meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) which focused on harnessing AI for the actualization of Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).
AU’s representative to the UN and Burundi’s Permanent Representative, Maniratanga Zéphyrin, emphasized that the involvement of developing countries is crucial if AI would serve a good cause.
As of last year, the AU felt the potential benefits of digital transformation for Africa’s development will be substantial.
However, the union pointed out that limited resources, funding constraints, and limited coordination present significant hurdles.
Zéphyrin seized the moment at the recent UN meeting, to advocate for that developing countries’ representation in AI governance.
He said it will help in constructing a transparent, equitable, non-discriminatory and cooperative international environment for Artificial Intelligence.
Recommended reading: U.S., Nigeria to explore partnerships in digital economy, AI
On Wednesday, the AU Mission X page quoted him as saying,
“This effort must increase the representation and influence of developing countries within global AI governance structures.
“We are committed to seeing the African Digital Compact timely conclusion to provide a structured framework for Africa’s digital transformation.”
“Furthermore, we support the application of the Global Digital Compact to ensure that digital technologies, including AI, foster a safe, equitable and open digital future for all.”
The Special Meeting drew stakeholders to explore ways to harness AI technologies to address complex societal challenges and achieve the SDGs.
What UN authorities are saying
ECOSOC president, Paula Narváez revealed that the world must take advantage of AI’s potential for its betterment.
However, the UN believes that to effectively use AI to address environmental challenges, it must be developed with careful governance and ethical frameworks to ensure it is unbiased and benefits all.
“We are at a pivotal moment in technology’s evolution. This period represents a significant inflection point where Artificial Intelligence is reshaping our current world. Its transformative potential is profound,” she stated.
More insight
- Discussions on the use of AI have been ongoing for a while.
- The UN, which AU is part of, believes the gap between AI and its governance is wide and growing while AI-associated risks are many and varied.
- In September 2020, the UN released a report ( Our Common Agenda) which suggests solutions bordering on digital connectivity, avoiding internet fragmentation, accountability as well as application of human rights online, among other things.
- The Common Agenda proposes a Global Digital Compact which will agreed to at the UN Summit of the Future in September 2024.
- The Global Digital Compact “outlines shared principles for an open, free and secure digital future for all”.
- Nairametrics previously reported that with the rise in the development and usage of AI tools, there have been concerns over the rise of AI-generated misinformation content.