A Artificial Intelligence can help developing countries and access must be facilitated, defended the secretary-general of the United Nations (UN), António Guterres, at a summit on AI near London.
According to him, AI has the potential to help developing countries whose economies were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and which resulted in an accumulation of debt.
"It can help governments craft budgets, help businesses expand, and help climate scientists predict droughts and storms. It can help ordinary people access vital healthcare and education. It can be a huge accelerator and facilitator of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals“, he suggested.
However, to achieve this, Guterres argued that all countries and communities must have access to AI and the necessary digital and data infrastructures.
"Currently, AI technologies are limited to a few countries and companies. Therefore, we need a systematic effort to change this situation“, he said.
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At stake is the exacerbation of inequalities between rich and poor countries.
"This is not a risk, it is a reality. A recent report concluded that no African country is in the top 50 in terms of AI readiness, 21 of the 25 lowest scoring countries were African“, he maintained.
The UN Secretary-General was speaking on the second and final day of the International Summit on Artificial Intelligence Security, organized by the British Government in Bletchley Park, north of London.
In his speech, Guterres spoke of the accelerated pace of AI development, which requires urgent, coordinated governance at an international level to reduce risks and negative consequences.
In this sense, he highlighted the role of the high-level multisectoral advisory body on AI launched last week, which is expected to present recommendations by the end of the year.
These recommendations will be integrated into the Global Digital Compact to be proposed for adoption by Heads of State at the Future Summit, in September 2024.
“We need a united, sustained and global strategy, based on multilateralism and the participation of all interested parties. The United Nations is ready to play its role,” he concluded.
