The U.N.'s decision to unanimously adopt the resolution underscores how artificial intelligence “transcends normal geopolitical divisions,” officials said.
“We have generally included most of the edits they suggested,” the official said, referring to Russia, China and Cuba.
The resolution aims to assert U.S. leadership in AI development on the world stage, as the Biden administration seeks to increasingly expand its influence in intergovernmental organizations. The European Union and other countries are racing to stay ahead of U.S. lawmakers, who are still in the early stages of crafting AI legislation.
This resolution aims to promote human rights. However, there is no enforcement mechanism if countries do not comply with the resolution, and China is already moving ahead with regulations requiring generative AI systems similar to ChatGPT to “adhere to core socialist values.”
This broad agreement builds on previous international AI agreements. Last year, the United States, China, the European Union, the United Kingdom and more than 20 other countries signed the so-called Bletchley Declaration, which aims to avert existential safety risks to the technology and foster international cooperation on research. However, following criticism that developing countries were left out of other international AI agreements, the Biden administration pursued a new agreement with the United Nations.
The UN resolution comes as countries take different paths in regulating AI following the explosive popularity of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools that can create photos and videos. The European Parliament this month passed the European AI Act, giving final approval to a law that requires AI developers to disclose data and conduct rigorous testing. President Biden signed an AI executive order last year, but there is no clear path forward for comprehensive AI legislation in the US Congress.