What will the UN Global Digital Compact mean for AI and technology?

The UN Summit of the Future has put technology and AI governance high on the multinational organization’s global agenda.

The United Nations (UN) has published the first comprehensive global framework for digital collaboration and governance of artificial intelligence (AI).

It is part of the UN General Assembly’s “Pact for the Future” announced on Sunday, which is intended to be a “step forward” towards more effective, inclusive, networked multilateralism, the UN secretary-general said. Antonio Guterres.

The Global Digital Compact, which is attached to the Pact for the Future and was adopted without a vote, commits the world’s major players to discuss how AI should be governed and what responsibilities tech companies have.

Below is an overview of what the 66-page document and its 56 broad actions for technology mean.

About AI

The Digital Compact encourages AI governance through a roadmap that includes an international scientific panel and a global policy dialogue on AI.

The Compact calls on technology companies to improve the transparency and accountability of their systems, including content moderation and the processing of users’ personal data.

It also encourages technology companies to develop solutions and publicly communicate actions to prevent possible damage – such as hate speech and discrimination – from AI content.

However, it does not say whether companies should be transparent about the datasets used to train AI. It does say that measures should include: incorporating safeguards into the training processes for AI models, identification of AI-generated material, certification of content authenticity and origin, labeling, watermarking and other techniques.

The document also calls for open source and open innovation technologies. This means that the designs of technology companies would be publicly available. It is unclear how this would work with companies such as OpenAIwhich are closed source companies.

The open source requirement applies not only to AI, but can also be used to build knowledge for the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in developing countries.

About the Internet and the Digital Divide

The Compact states that it is committed to connecting everyone to the Internet. It recognizes that this requires increased financial investment in developing countries from governments and other stakeholders, particularly the private sector.

This would include satellites and local network initiatives, providing safe and secure network coverage to all areas, including rural, remote and ‘hard to reach’ areas.

In addition to the aim of getting everyone online, the Compact also outlines the ambition to develop a national digital skills strategy, including education for the digital age, and to increase the number of affordable digital technology platforms.

“Our aim is to provide as many people as possible with basic digital skills, while at the same time promoting intermediate to advanced digital skills,” the document reads.

The aim is also to bridge the digital divide and stimulate North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation, including between universities, research institutes and the private sector, to accelerate the development of digital knowledge and access to research capacity.

There is a commitment to support the participation of women and girls in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects.

About technology companies and child protection

The Compact states that there is an urgent need to prevent and address all forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence, that occur through or are “enhanced by the use of technology”.

It also calls for action against hate speech and discrimination, misinformation and disinformation, cyberbullying and child sexual exploitation and abuse.

The document comes as social media platforms are under intense pressure to protect young users on social media.

In January, Meta Boss Mark Zuckerberg apologized to the US Congress to families of children who had been abused or sexually exploited on its platforms.

The Compact also calls on technology and social media companies to establish safe and secure reporting mechanisms for users to report potential policy breaches. This should include special reporting mechanisms adapted to children and persons with disabilities.

Finally, the UN hopes that social media and technology companies will improve the transparency and accountability of their systems, including terms of service, content moderation and recommendation algorithms, and the processing of users’ personal data in local languages.

Will it work?

While the UN has put a global commitment to data governance on its agenda, the Compact and Pact are both non-binding. This means that it is not clear whether they will be implemented by UN member states.

General Assembly President Philemon Yunji noted that the pact “will lay the foundation for a sustainable, just and peaceful world order – for all peoples and nations.”