Digital on Day 3 of UNGA79: Addressing AI, misinformation, and the need for global cooperation
On Day 3 of the UN General Assembly, discussions surrounded the challenges of rapid technological advancements and their sociocultural implications. A significant focus was placed on governing AI, misinformation, and disinformation, with several countries addressing their detrimental impact on democratic stability. Greece emerged as a prominent voice, dedicating a substantial portion of its statement to the importance of digital governance and regulation, particularly in the context of AI. The debate emphasised the need for international cooperation to address these pressing issues and ensure that technological progress benefits all nations equitably.
Global digital governance: Competition and cooperation
The world is undergoing a turbulent transformation marked by significant geopolitical, economic, scientific, and technological shifts – we are witnessing an unprecedented technological revolution in a short timeframe, North Macedonia and Mauritius underlined. As economies, demographics, technologies, and societies evolve, each generation of decision-makers faces new challenges, New Zealand highlighted.
UN member states compete, cooperate and conflict, but the area of new technologies, particularly in the era of AI, is skewed against the Global South, Malawi warned. Regulatory frameworks are being developed that favour certain nations over others, and there is a need to establish not only a rules-based system but also equitable rules that promote fair competition. This requires stronger governance institutions to ensure fair access to education, markets, technology, financing, and natural resources. Malawi emphasised that robust governance within the UN is crucial to equitably regulating international collaboration and competition.
However, many countries have spoken about the importance of digital cooperation. The Central African Republic noted that it is high time to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs in digital cooperation. Multiple delegations have expressed strong support for the Global Digital Compact (GDC) and the Pact for the Future, both adopted at the Summit of the Future.
Peru and the Central African Republic welcomed the adoption of the GDC, while Côte d’Ivoire welcomed the GDC as a means to better harness technological progress for all.
Sweden, one of the co-facilitators of the compact, reminded that through the GDC, member states have committed to strengthening international cooperation to close digital divides between and within countries and to establish the governance required for a sustainable digital future, including AI. Costa Rica noted that the GDC puts the multilateral system in motion to address AI and is key for AI research and development. Portugal highlighted that the GDC can balance opportunities and risks of new technologies, such as AI. While New Zealand underlined that member states must demonstrate their determination to implement the GDC for the well-being of present and future generations, Greece stressed that for the GDC to have effect, states need to put the regulation and application of AI on a global footing.
AI: Global cooperation for effective AI governance
Several countries voiced their concerns and aspirations regarding the governance and impact of AI and the need for international cooperation. Namely, Comoros called for international cooperation to establish guidelines ensuring that AI development promotes global productivity and knowledge, ensuring equitable use and benefits for all. Mauritius emphasised that AI governance must be grounded in international law to ensure humanity benefits from its transformative power.
Côte d’Ivoire highlighted the technological revolution, for which many nations are unprepared. AI holds great promise but also poses risks, particularly due to the absence of international regulations governing its use. Unchecked AI could lead to widespread abuse and unintended consequences. Austria discussed broader existential issues, emphasising that humanity faces pressing challenges like climate change and AI’s rising influence.
Greece praised AI’s transformative potential, likening its impact to past technological milestones such as electricity and the internet, and stressed that AI could revolutionise science, medicine, and public services. Greece endorsed the ‘Governing AI for Humanity’ report by the UN’s High-Level Advisory Body on AI, emphasising its potential to create a flexible global AI governance framework. They highlighted the need for global regulation, possibly through a COP-style approach involving countries and tech companies, to manage AI’s benefits and risks. Greece also warned of the risks, such as AI being used for harm, including creating deepfakes and misinformation, and Peru stressed that such risks can destabilise democracies by manipulating public opinion.
The UK underscored the military applications of AI and raised concerns about the deployment of such technologies without agreed rules, advocating for clearer regulations in the cybersecurity and defence sectors. Costa Rica urged the creation of governance frameworks for AI for both civilian and military use. These frameworks must regulate autonomous systems, with the Global Digital Compact offering a multilateral platform to address AI research, development, and its applications.
Legal: Ethical data governance
The need for ethical governance of technological development, particularly AI and data, to prevent misuse, manipulation, and domination was among the main arguments. Namely, Portugal emphasised that technological development must be human-centred and guided by international law to ensure ethical progress. To ensure AI’s ethical progress, Comoros stressed the need for international cooperation.
The EU warned about the dangers of reducing individuals to data that can be manipulated and surveilled. While AI and digital innovation are drivers of progress and prosperity, the EU stressed that they must be used for the benefit of humanity and freedom. It highlighted the misuse of personal data, comparing it to past errors with natural resources, and called for a global regulatory framework to prevent AI and data from becoming tools of domination or conflict.
Cybersecurity: Grappling with rapid technological advances and protecting children online
Rapid technological advancements offer new opportunities but are progressing faster than our ability to manage them, Kenya and Haiti underlined. We are facing cyber threats we couldn’t have imagined years ago, the Netherlands underlined.
Kuwait warned that technological innovations, particularly AI and social media, are increasingly being used for incitement, terrorist recruitment, and spreading hate speech and disinformation, which exacerbates cybersecurity risks.
The rapid proliferation of advanced technologies introduces complex new challenges for arms control and international regulations, as Kenya noted. Haiti also expressed the concern that the acceleration of AI development is undermining the stability of democracies worldwide.
More and more countries are developing offensive cyber programmes, which pose a growing threat to our critical infrastructure, our security, our earning capacity and our intellectual property, the Netherlands stated. Kenya also warned that cybersecurity breaches and sophisticated cyberattacks on critical infrastructure increasingly threaten national security and global stability, Kenya noted. Haiti echoed these concerns, noting that the proliferation of cyber attacks endangers the stability of democracies, while Lesotho highlighted cybercrime in particular as one of the obstacles towards sustainable peace.
Palau believes that joining INTERPOL and strengthening its cyber defence systems have improved its ability to safeguard national security. The Netherlands highlights progress made through the UN Pact for the Future, which has addressed critical areas like cybersecurity.
The issue of child safety online was brought up by Greece. The country drew a parallel between the prolonged struggle to mandate car seat belts and the current lack of regulation on children’s use of digital and social media platforms despite growing evidence of harm. Children are increasingly exposed to content that fosters loneliness, unrealistic beauty standards, and extremist ideologies, while online bullying and social media addiction are reshaping their development. Social media algorithms are constantly improved by AI to keep children online despite proof that heavy use of social media is linked to depression, feelings of isolation, sleep deprivation and addiction. Greece emphasised the urgency of action and commended Australia’s efforts to introduce age limits and enforceable age verification technologies to protect children from these negative impacts.
Development: Bridging gaps and harnessing technology for inclusive growth
In the area of development, several key issues were highlighted regarding affordable financing, financial inclusion, and the role of technology in achieving the SDGs. Kenya emphasised the need for affordable financing alongside transformative policies such as fair trade practices, market access, inclusive international tax cooperation, technology transfer, and capacity building. This aligns with the calls from Gambia and CAR for efforts to bridge the digital divide and enhance technology transfer to support development. The call for technology transfer was echoed by Nepal, stressing the need to harness advancements to avoid falling further behind.
Fiji noted that while technology has increased our connectivity, it has also widened the gaps between the rich and poor, as well as between developed and developing nations. The issue of digital connectivity was further underscored by Haiti’s concern that nearly 2.7 billion people still lack internet access, highlighting the urgency for support to overcome this challenge and enable participation in the global economy. North Macedonia raised questions about achieving social justice amidst increasing economic, educational, gender, and digital disparities, pointing to a growing divide between winners and losers in a globalised, digitalised world. Similarly, Côte d’Ivoire cautioned against allowing AI and other technologies to exacerbate inequalities, advocating for a technological revolution that benefits everyone.
Equatorial Guinea noted that African economies could significantly contribute to global supply chains by leveraging their vast resources and growing consumer markets, thereby necessitating targeted support for development. Portugal reiterated the importance of inclusivity in the 2030 Agenda, emphasising that no one should be left behind. Focusing on the positive impact of digital technology on development, the EU emphasised that technological competition must take place within a framework of fair competition to ensure equitable outcomes. Sweden added that the digital transition can drive new growth and improve livelihoods, further underscoring the importance of inclusivity.
Human rights: Human-centred laws for ethical technological development
Some countries stated that the common denominator for effective technological development was the need for clear regulatory frameworks that respect human rights. Portugal emphasised that technological development must be human-centred and grounded in international law. The EU warned against repeating past mistakes, stressing the importance of responsibly handling personal data, unlike the misuse of natural resources. Peru raised concerns about tech companies storing vast amounts of personal data, highlighting privacy risks and potential government mass surveillance..
Sociocultural: The impact of mis-/disinformation on democratic stability
The vast majority of statements tackling sociocultural themes focus on the critical issues of mis-/disinformation and their impact on the stability of democracies. To this end, Kenya noted that misinformation and manipulation, facilitated by social media, undermine public trust and the integrity of democratic processes. Similarly, Haiti expressed concern that the proliferation of disinformation threatens democratic stability globally.
Kuwait pointed out that technological innovations, including AI and social media, are increasingly used for incitement, terrorist recruitment, and spreading hate speech and falsehoods. This issue disproportionately affects young people, highlighting the need for international cooperation to combat these negative practices. Peru added that the spread of misinformation and hate speech particularly affects women.
Germany emphasised that navigating the conflicting values of the Charter, especially balancing the right to self-defence with the duty to protect civilians, is increasingly challenging in today’s social media environment, where oversimplified narratives obscure complexity, nuance and sometimes even facts.
Another sociocultural topic was e-governance, mentioned by Iraq, which emphasised its importance as one of the strategies to promote good governance and reduce corruption.
This summary was generated by humans and provides a comprehensive overview of how digital issues were tackled during the third day of discussions, which took place on 26 September 2024.
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