UN urges action against AI malicious use in new resolution

TLDR:

• The UN General Assembly adopted its first global resolution on artificial intelligence, focusing on promoting safe and trustworthy AI systems.
• The resolution encourages member states to address malicious use of AI, privacy risks, and security vulnerabilities.

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted its first global resolution on artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need for safe, secure, and trustworthy AI systems. Led by the United States and co-sponsored by over 120 other members states, the non-binding resolution outlines baseline goals for promoting the responsible use of AI technology.

The resolution addresses various challenges and opportunities related to AI, including the malicious use of AI by threat actors, the generation of potentially deceptive AI content, and the need for securing personal data over the life cycle of AI systems. It encourages member states to invest in security and risk management safeguards for AI systems, promote measures for identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities, and develop processes for detecting and reporting security incidents post-deployment.

Additionally, the resolution highlights the importance of data protection and privacy policies, as well as increasing media and information literacy to combat potential misinformation campaigns and fraud. Although not explicitly mentioning “deepfakes,” the resolution recognizes the risks associated with AI-generated content indistinguishable from authentic content and calls for the development of tools for reliable content authentication.

This resolution is crucial in the context of recent incidents involving nation-state threat actors using AI models for malicious purposes. It also aligns with the European Union AI Act’s risk-based requirements and labelling mandates for AI-generated media like deepfakes.

Overall, the UN resolution on AI sets a precedent for international collaboration in establishing ethical and sustainable guidelines for the development and use of AI technology, ensuring that it serves the needs of everyone.