UN chief Guterres focuses on AI regulation, consider warnings against AI seriously

On Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres supported an idea put up by certain leaders in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) to establish a global agency to monitor AI similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). 

The Vienna-based IAEA was established in 1957 and works to safeguard and secure the usage of nuclear technology while keeping an eye out for any potential nuclear weapons violations. 

Growth in AI increased scams 

After the introduction of ChatGPT in November 2022, along with other AI innovations taking place globally, concerns related to this generative AI model and related technologies have tripled among tech leaders, professionals, and others. With the growing usage of generative AI models, scams related to deepfakes and AI manipulation have also increased.  

On the last week's visit of Sam Altman to India, the CEO of OpenAI highlighted an international watchdog to regulate and monitor this emerging technology. 

“Alarm bells over the latest form of artificial intelligence – generative AI – are deafening. And they are loudest from the developers who designed it,” said Guterres. “These scientists and experts have called on the world to act, declaring AI an existential threat to humanity on a par with the risk of nuclear war. We must take those warnings seriously, he added.”

In a recent speech of Guterres, he clearly argued in favour of imposing regulations and focused on developing a high-level AI advisory group. Moreover, this group will review AI governance arrangements in the sink with human rights, he expressed. 

He further stated, “I would be favourable to the idea that we could have an artificial intelligence agency inspired by what the international agency of atomic energy is today.”

Other countries progressing towards AI regulation 

Recently, Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister of Britain, has endorsed the proposal for AI regulation and stated that he wants Britain to be the centre for global AI safety regulation. Moreover, as announced on 7 June, the UK is yet to host its first major global summit on AI safety amid world struggles with rapid AI growth.

At the same time, countries like the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and India are creating a legal framework to regulate artificial intelligence as nations and tech corporations continue to explore ways to reduce the negative impact of this technology.