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TWN
Info Service on UN Sustainable Development (Sep25/01) UN:
Advanced AI could pose an "existential" threat, warns rights
chief Penang, 8 Sep (Kanaga Raja) -- If left unchecked, advanced artificial intelligence (AI) could pose "an existential risk to humanity", the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, warned on 7 September. In his global update to the current 63rd regular session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the rights chief called for "an all-out effort to put cast-iron guarantees in place around the safety and security of AI, before it is too late." He said: "The relationship between digital tools like AI, and our human nature, our human agency, will be a priority for the years ahead." Pointing out that the need for AI governance is widely acknowledged, Mr Turk, however, asked where is the action? Delay only benefits the massive tech companies, their owners and enablers, he said, adding that "a handful of men has almost unlimited power over AI, which we are repeatedly told has unimaginable computing capacity." "They talk about freedom, but on closer inspection, this turns out to be little more than the freedom to exploit our data," said the High Commissioner. However, the rights chief pointed to some recent progress at the international level, including the establishment of the Global Dialogue on AI and the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI. He also welcomed landmark steps on platform accountability by the European Commission, and AI governance by the Republic of Korea, among others. However, he shared the concerns of industry insiders that advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity. "AI that escapes its testing environment, or blackmails developers to prevent itself from being turned off, is AI that is too powerful," Mr Turk warned. He called for an all-out effort to put cast-iron guarantees in place around the safety and security of AI, before it is too late. In this regard, the High Commissioner said that he will be writing to AI companies in the coming days, to urge them to take the steps that are within their control, to reduce risks, now. At a minimum, he called on countries hosting AI and those involved in its supply chains to come together around agreed red-lines. He also stressed on the need for independent verification, and much stronger collaboration on security within the industry. "We also need to consider the human rights impacts of AI on employment practices, on fundamental principles of democracy, and on our environment." Little wonder people are rejecting AI and even refusing to use it, the rights chief said, adding that governments and companies need to listen. Human rights offers a way to navigate these difficult issues, the High Commissioner said, adding that he will put particular emphasis on looking for solutions, together with all those who are calling for technology that serves humanity rather than the other way round. He further emphasized that technology is not "a magic wand", and that its development needs to be matched by action on the other challenges that humanity faces. Highlighting the climate crisis, he said that the massive hidden cost of fossil fuels to health, economies, and the environment far exceeds what appears on our energy bills. The International Monetary Fund puts those costs at some $6.7 trillion a year - nearly six percent of global GDP. The rights chief also drew attention to the European heatwaves, which have killed an estimated 35,000 people this summer, with the true toll likely to be much higher. However, he said none of this is inevitable, adding: "We must keep our focus on limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees C, as set out in the Paris Agreement, by ensuring the current overshoot is as small and short as possible." Highlighting the need to safeguard people from catastrophes like the recent glacier collapse in Nepal and China, the rights chief noted that an advanced early warning system enabled Switzerland to evacuate the entire village of Blatten before it was buried last year. Unfortunately, today's investments and innovations seem to be driven largely by profit - regardless of the costs, he said, adding that these business models "are squeezing our planet - and its people - past breaking point." Mr Turk said that the immense concentration of wealth and power in one small corner of humanity is creating tensions that undermine both stability and sustainability. Yet, rather than urgently addressing these imbalances, some leaders are exploiting them. Imposing crippling tariffs on countries already under severe stress from the climate crisis, debt burdens, and inequitable tax rules, weakens their political autonomy and their ability to fight poverty, said the rights chief. With less than four years left to deliver on the 2030 Agenda, only 36 percent of its targets are making progress, and 15 percent have gone into reverse, he said, adding that across the world, growing numbers of people cannot afford secure housing or a healthy diet. "When we celebrate economic growth, let's be honest about where this growth goes," the High Commissioner said. "The International Labour Organization estimates that over the past two decades, it has benefited owners and investors more than workers. In several countries in sub-Saharan Africa, for example, economic growth is not matched by reductions in poverty." These injustices are putting the social contract under increasing strain, he said. Conversely, the rights chief said that economies grounded in human rights bring stability, opportunity, and trust. They foster transparent institutions, fair taxation, and effective public spending. At a time of dwindling foreign aid, they can be instrumental in mobilizing domestic resources, he stressed. In this regard, he said that he will continue to push for the human rights economy to become a universal model. "Human rights needs to underpin all development efforts if they are to be truly sustainable. We will work to ensure they are at the heart of global policy, including the UN Tax Convention, the International Panel on Inequality, the Loss and Damage Fund - and the emerging vision for sustainable development beyond 2030." +
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