The late Stephen Hawking said AI “will either be the best thing that’s ever happened to us, or it will be the worst thing”. Years after his passing, the United Nations is looking to stomp out AI programs that threaten human rights.
United Nations vs Dangerous AI
Reported by Al Jazeera, the UN has called for a moratorium on dangerous artificial intelligence programs. This is due to the lack of regulation surrounding AI.
The United Nations isn't stopping the development of AI outright. However, it is hoping to block the “sale and use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems that threaten human rights”. Afterwards, the UN will introduce safeguards to limit the use of dangerous AI software in the future.
In a press release, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet explained the reasons behind the moratorium. She said:
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AI bias in the real world
Artificial Intelligence relies on human input. This means that human bias inevitably shapes the bias of supposed-to-be impartial software. This is why “human rights guardrails” need enforcing on all artificial intelligence. Bachelet said:
At this moment, we're at a pivotal moment for the future of artificial intelligence. AI is currently smart enough to be widely used, but not smart enough to drive itself down a straight road. In the coming years, AI will be getting rapidly smarter — environment be dammed.
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