UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

10/29/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/29/2024 11:17

Promoting the Ethical Principles of the Artificial Intelligence at the 2nd Global Forum

At the invitation of Ms Emilija Stojmenova Duh, Minister of Digital Transformation, Slovenia, Amb. Simona-Mirela Miculescu participated in the 2nd Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: Changing the Landscape of AI Governance, which took place in the Brdo Congress Centre of Kranj, on 5 and 6 February 2024.

The Forum brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including policy-makers, researchers, and industry leaders, to discuss and address the ethical challenges posed by AI. One of the primary outcomes of the forum was the emphasis on reinforcing national regulatory frameworks and institutions. Discussions highlighted the need for effective governance at the national level to ensure that AI technologies are developed and used ethically. This includes aligning national policies with UNESCO's Recommendation on the Ethics of AI and the emerging EU legal framework.

PGC

Picture credits: Ms Gabriela Ramos, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences, Ms Emilija Stojmenova Duh, Minister of Digital Transformation, Slovenia, and Amb. Simona-Mirela Miculescu, President of the General Conference of UNESCO at the closing ceremony of the Forum.

The forum underscored also the importance of global collaboration in implementing ethical AI practices. Digital ministers from various regions discussed the opportunities and challenges of promoting AI technologies globally. Several parallel sessions were dedicated to exploring specific aspects of AI ethics, such as gender equality, environmental protection, transparency, and non-discrimination.

While we are putting our hope in AI to advance inclusive education for our children and teachers, let us ensure that we 'educate' the AI with the fundamental knowledge of our internationally agreed standard-setting instruments, and shared best practices. Hence, it becomes imperative to embed our collective values, or 'commons,' within each algorithm utilized for the development and deployment of artificial intelligence, essentially constituting its fundamental operational and regulatory framework. Let's us ensure that this framework includes - on all continents and in all languages, including indigenous languages - critically important and internationally agreed instruments.

H.E. Amb. Simona-Mirela Miculescu, President of the 42nd session of the General Conference of UNESCO

Overall, the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI highlighted the need for a collaborative, inclusive, and ethical approach to AI development. The outcomes of the event set the stage for continued efforts to ensure that AI technologies are used responsibly and for the benefit of all humanity.