The United Nations is stepping up its game to ensure that humanity doesn’t get overshadowed by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). In a historic move, the UN General Assembly has given a unanimous thumbs-up to the first-ever global resolution on AI.

Picture this: Countries from every corner of the globe, including the heavyweight champs like the United States and China, have come together with over 120 other nations to say, “Hey AI, we’re watching you!” Led by the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the message is loud and clear: we’re taking the reins on AI before it takes over our lives.

“Today, all 193 members of the United Nations General Assembly have spoken in one voice, and together, chosen to govern artificial intelligence rather than let it govern us,”

-U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.

Why all the fuss, you ask? Well, AI might sound like something straight out of a sci-fi blockbuster, but it’s got some serious real-world implications. We’re talking about potential threats to our privacy, our rights, and even our jobs! But the UN resolution aims to fix it.

Details

The United Nations just made a big move to control artificial intelligence (AI) worldwide. They agreed on a plan to make sure AI doesn’t cause trouble. Here’s the lowdown on what this plan is all about:

• Safeguarding human rights: At its core, the resolution emphasizes the paramount importance of safeguarding human rights in the era of AI. It calls upon member states to uphold fundamental freedoms and protect against potential abuses arising from the use of AI technologies.
• Protection of personal data: Recognizing the critical role of personal data in the digital age, the resolution advocates for robust measures to protect individuals’ privacy and ensure the responsible handling of personal data by AI systems.
• Mitigating risks and harms: Acknowledging the multifaceted risks associated with AI deployment, from democratic disruption to job displacement, the resolution underscores the need for proactive measures to mitigate these risks and minimize potential harms to society.
• Strengthening privacy policies: In line with the overarching goal of safeguarding individual rights, the resolution calls for the strengthening of privacy policies at both national and international levels to address the unique challenges posed by AI-driven technologies.
• International collaboration: A cornerstone of the resolution is the emphasis on international collaboration and cooperation in addressing the challenges posed by AI. By fostering dialogue and knowledge-sharing among member states, the resolution seeks to promote a unified approach to AI governance on the global stage.
• Nonbinding nature: While the resolution represents a significant milestone in global AI governance, it is important to note that its provisions are nonbinding. However, its adoption serves as a powerful symbolic gesture, signaling a collective commitment to addressing the ethical, legal, and societal implications of AI.

So, what’s the bottom line? The UN’s plan is a big step towards making sure AI doesn’t cause chaos. With everyone working together, we’ve got a better shot at keeping AI in check and making sure it helps, not hurts, us all, hopefully.

Featured image credit: Mathias Reding/Unsplash

What are the fears around data while exploring potential use cases to demonstrate the value for the ‘smart citizen’? Here is a look.

With The United Nations reporting that two-thirds (68%) of the world’s population are expected to live in cities by 2050, scientists are seeking new and innovative ways to improve the quality of life in our urban jungles. With a recent death in the UK linked to illegal levels of air pollution, it’s more important than ever to utilise technology that drives progress and innovates to develop a more sustainable future – creating smart cities.

However, with a large proportion (68%) of the UK public unclear about what a smart city is or the benefits it can bring, it’s obvious that further education is needed. In a post-GDPR world, citizens are increasingly aware of the vast amount of data being collected throughout their day-to-day activities. Once an understanding is established that these smart initiatives save time, money, and provide peace of mind, citizens will be more open to working with their government bodies to future-proof their communities.  

Getting smart about cities

With the aim to provide a more liveable and responsive environment, the smart city industry is projected to be worth $400 billion by 2020, Citywise reports. Underpinned by real-time data, truly smart cities understand how demand patterns change and are able to respond with faster, lower-cost solutions. Benefits from this approach include improvements to safety and congestion for efficient traffic management, healthcare advances from patient experience to data-driven public health interventions, and air-quality monitoring and energy-use optimisation to minimise environmental impact. All alongside further social connectedness and civic participation, new job opportunities provided through e-careers, as well as reduced cost of living thanks to improvements such as dynamic electricity pricing and usage tracking.

To provide these benefits, smart city initiatives must gather the relevant data from multiple sources. Sensors and beacons, communication networks, and open data portals – which can be introduced by city councils and governments to the existing infrastructure – are primary sources. For people management, smartphone data is invaluable in both gathering and providing instant information about transit, traffic, health services, safety alerts, and community news. Other sources include connected networks and devices – such as home-security systems, personal-alert devices, and lifestyle wearables – which offer value that many city stakeholders are willing to pay for. Mobility applications also provide greater value, thanks to the rise in popularity of e-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, and e-bikes or scooter schemes.

From byte to yotta

The benefits this data holds are visible through the deployment of connectivity resources available to many citizens now. But the data is held in several separate silos, each relating to a specific aspect of urban life. To improve the city as a whole and realise its smart potential, an interconnected data system is needed; one that integrates big data from multiple sources – state and citizen.

From traffic and pollution sensors to shared bike schemes, extreme amounts of data can already be collected, processed, and analysed in real-time and at scale. However, to provide a truly holistic citywide view of these, a combination of multiple sources is needed. Once this is achieved, advancement such as improving the daily commute via smart-mobility application can be implemented through networks of internet of things (IoT) sensors on physical assets. Real-time information can then be relayed via mobile apps or digital signage, enabling commuters to efficiently adapt their routes on the move.

This smart approach to modern cities also has impacts on crime levels, with a data-driven policing strategy utilising real-time mapping to cut emergency response rates. For a population of five million, this could mean saving up to 300 lives per year. To protect the environment, citizens and cities can work together to optimise the use of finite resources. The use of sensors is particularly key for the environment, by identifying sources of pollution to enable cities to arm their citizens with real-time protective measures so they can make the best decisions for their health. This digital feedback loop also works for conserving water, with leaking pipes one of the biggest water waste contributors. By collecting data on the health of city infrastructure and its surrounding areas insights can be gleaned, for example, on soil moisture levels to identify the waterlogged environments that surround a leak.

Identifying a truly smart citizen

It’s not only about installing digital interfaces in traditional infrastructure or streamlining city operations. Smart cities are primarily opportunities to use technology and data purposefully to make better decisions, and deliver a better quality of life for citizens.

By establishing channels for two-way data communication that feeds into the data infrastructure, a truly smart city can respond more dynamically to how resource demand is changing. For this smart future to become a reality, governments and councils need a reliable big data source to base long- and short-term decisions on – to safeguard the future health of the urban ecosystem. Only once a holistic view of the city is achieved can stakeholders make the key decisions and positive changes needed to ensure the future sustainability of its metropolitan environment.

In the wake of the Snowden disclosures,”The Right to Privacy in the Digital Age” – a resolution urging member states for protection and respect of privacy in the digital age – has been approved by the UN general assembly’s human rights committee, on Tuesday.

The draft saw sponsorship from Germany and Brazil owing to the news of snooping on the respective countries, even as the United States tried to persuade the “Five Eyes” nations of the UK, Australia and New Zealand to influence the resolution, as it believes that  its surveillance activities and practices are not illegal.

It has been reported however that “surveillance using metadata” has been removed from the text as being an intrusion of privacy – a move brought about to pacify the Five Eyes.

“Following the approval, some delegates stressed the need for agreed international human rights mechanisms in relation to ensuring privacy and freedom of expression,” said the statement announcing the move.

It further added, “Some expressed regret over the lack of a specific reference to such mechanisms in the draft, while others applauded the consensus as a clear international reaction to the national and extraterritorial electronic surveillance activities conducted by the United States.”

A193-member committee approved the resolution.

Read more here

Follow @DataconomyMedia

Image Credit:

This infographic is a nice way for big data enthusiasts to understand how data is being used to solve some of the most pressing issues on the planet, as well as the benefits businesses gain from adapting to big data.

For those interested in how the UN is using Big Data, here’s a passage from their page: “the impetus for establishing Global Pulse [a UN initiative] was the realization that the same data, tools and analytics that power business can help speed up the public sector’s ability to understand where people are losing the fight against hunger, poverty and disease, and to plan or evaluate a response. Global Pulse is working to design an approach for harnessing big data and real-time analytics for monitoring development progress, emerging vulnerabilities and overall population well being of the populations the United Nations serves.” Read more on the UN’s Global Pulse here

(Image Credit: United Nations Photo)