Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the talk of the town in Geneva.
The year-round AI for Good initiative led by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) draws a lot of media attention. In addition, AI as a topic and as a tool has already begun a quiet revolution in many organisations, transitioning their modus operandi and becoming a strong focus in their work.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), for example, coordinates one of the most complex data networks in the world spanning 17 satellites, thousands of aircraft and ships, and nearly 11,500 land-based stations to provide AI analyses and forecasts.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and ITU have established a Focus Group on AI for Health (FG-AI4H) to examine AI-based solutions for diagnosis, triage, and other treatment decisions. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has adopted AI-enabled smart searches and translations to facilitate intellectual property documentation work. The UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) is investigating the implications of military AI and its incorporation into traditional weaponry and autonomous systems. The list of ‘someone doing something about AI’ in Geneva is growing.
Believing in walking the talk, DiploFoundation (Diplo) experiments with digital technologies and builds its own AI tools for research and educational purposes. DiploAI is a domain-specific AI system that was fine-tuned for diplomatic and policy-relevant texts; it enables Diplo researchers to build customisable AI assistants for courses, diplomatic training, and research. Furthermore, Diplo launched an AI Campus for diplomats, policymakers, and other stakeholders, delivering a series of courses on AI governance, policies, and practical AI tools.
