Artificial Intelligence: The New Frontier of Humanity

 revolution is transforming our lives at an incredible speed, dramatically changing the way we work, learn, and even live together. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is experiencing exponential growth and finding new applications in a growing number of sectors, including security, the environment, research, education, health, culture, and commerce, alongside the increasingly sophisticated use of big data.

Artificial intelligence is the new frontier for humanity. Once this frontier is crossed, AI will usher in a new form of human civilization. The guiding principle of AI is not to become autonomous or replace human intelligence. But we must ensure that it is developed with a humane approach based on values and human rights. We face a crucial question: What kind of society do we want tomorrow? The AI revolution opens up exciting new horizons, but the anthropological and social upheaval it brings in its wake requires careful consideration.

A huge opportunity for sustainable development
The transformations brought about by the technological revolution, and particularly by developments in artificial intelligence, are relevant to every aspect of UNESCO’s mandate. Education is already being profoundly transformed by AI. The tools of education—the way we learn, acquire knowledge and train teachers—will no longer be the same. From now on, the acquisition of digital skills is at the heart of all our educational programmes. Moreover, we must “learn how to learn” because the pace of innovation is rapidly changing the labour market. Today, more than ever, the humanities such as history, philosophy and literature are crucial to our ability to function in our rapidly changing world. AI is already being used extensively in the field of culture, for example, in the images used to reconstruct heritage. It is also being used in the sciences, notably in our environmental programmes and underwater research. Communication and information also depend directly on advances in AI, particularly in relation to freedom of expression and access to information.
AI can open up tremendous opportunities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Its applications enable innovative solutions, improved risk assessment, better planning, and faster knowledge sharing.

Addressing AI Challenges
While AI is an incredible asset for the responsible development of our societies, it raises major ethical issues. How can we ensure that algorithms do not violate fundamental human rights, from privacy and data confidentiality to freedom of choice and freedom of conscience? Can freedom of action be guaranteed when our desires are anticipated and guided? How can we ensure that social and cultural stereotypes are not replicated in AI programs, particularly when it comes to gender discrimination? Can these circuits be replicated? Can values be programmed, and by whom? How can we ensure accountability when decisions and actions are fully automated? How do we ensure that no one, anywhere in the world, is deprived of the benefits of these technologies? How can we ensure that AI is developed in a transparent manner so that the global citizens whose lives are affected by it have a say in its development?
To answer these questions, we must distinguish between the immediate impacts of AI on our societies, the consequences we are already feeling, and its long-term implications. This requires that we collectively formulate a strategic vision and action plan.

Holding a Global Dialogue on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: UNESCO’s Role
The world must ensure that new technologies, especially those based on artificial intelligence, are used for the benefit of our societies and their sustainable development. The developments and applications of artificial intelligence must be regulated so that they are compatible with the fundamental rights that shape our democratic horizon.

Many actors, such as companies, research centers, academies of science, UN member states, international organizations, and civil society groups, are calling for an ethical framework for the development of AI. While understanding of the issues is growing, relevant initiatives need to be more strongly coordinated. This is a global issue, and must be thought of at a global level to avoid a “pick and choose” approach to ethics. Furthermore, a comprehensive and global approach, involving UN funds, agencies, and programs, is needed if we are to find ways to harness AI for sustainable development.

UNESCO will be a full and active participant in this global conversation. Our Organization has many years of experience in the ethics of science and technology. Our advisory bodies have already issued numerous reports and declarations, including on robotics, such as the COMEST report on the ethics of robotics in 2017. The advisory bodies also have experience in developing normative instruments, including the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights in 1997 and the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights in 2005.

UNESCO’s priorities should also guide our international action in this area. It is essential to ensure that Africa is fully engaged in AI transformations, not only as a beneficiary but also as a source participant, directly contributing to their development. In terms of gender equality, we must combat the biases in our societies to ensure that they are not replicated in AI applications. Finally, we must empower young people by equipping them with the skills they need for life in the 21st century to integrate into a changing labour market.

UNESCO also has a key role to play in bridging existing gaps that AI is likely to widen. Eliminating fragmentation between countries and genders, as well as in terms of resources and knowledge, will enable more people to contribute to the ongoing digital transformation.

UNESCO, with its humanitarian mission and international reach, bringing together researchers, philosophers, programmers, policymakers, private sector and civil society representatives, is the natural venue for debate on these ethical issues. UNESCO will organize discussions on AI in several regions of the world starting later this year, bringing together experts from a wide range of backgrounds and expertise. The first debate, held in Marrakech, Morocco, on 12 December 2018, focused on AI and Africa. A second international conference will be held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris in the first half of 2019. This dialogue could eventually lead, with the agreement of Member States, to the identification of key ethical principles to accompany developments in AI.

As a global forum where everyone’s voice is heard and respected, UNESCO is doing its part to the fullest, informing the global debate on the major transformations of our time and setting out principles to ensure that technological advances are used for the common good. The promise of AI and the ethical issues it poses are remarkable, and our responses to these challenges will change the way we know the world.

Together we must find the best solutions to ensure that the development of AI is an opportunity for humanity, as our generation has the responsibility to move to a more just, peaceful and prosperous society .

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