Global Researchers Sign New Pact to Make AI a Global Public Good

A Big Agreement in AI World

On September 26, 2024, a group of 21 top AI researchers and tech policy experts signed a major agreement at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The new pact is called the Manhattan Declaration on Inclusive Global Scientific Understanding of Artificial Intelligence. The pact aims to ensure AI is used as a “global public good.”

Key Points of the Manhattan Declaration

The Manhattan Declaration was signed just a week after the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence (HLAB-AI) released a report. This report gave seven key recommendations for responsible and safe AI governance. Some of the same people are involved in both the HLAB-AI group and the Manhattan Declaration. They include:

James Manyika from Google
Carme Artigas, a former Spanish government official
Alondra Nelson from the Institute for Advanced Study

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The declaration, written by these and other experts, has 10 main points. Here’s a summary of what it wants:

Diverse and Inclusive Research: Promote cooperation among scientists from different backgrounds.
Transparency: Be open about research and risk assessments in AI.
Responsible Development: Make sure AI development respects human rights and privacy.

Key organizations like Alibaba, IBM, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the Center for AI Safety also support the declaration.

Why Does This Matter?

The signatories believe that AI should benefit everyone. They also think AI can help achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, like better health and education. In their words:

“We commit to developing AI systems that are beneficial to humanity. We recognize their pivotal role in achieving global Sustainable Development Goals.”

The Goal: Safe and Helpful AI

The Manhattan Declaration shifts the view of AI from something to control to a technology that can help solve big problems. During a recent panel led by Eurasia Group and GZERO Media founder Ian Bremmer, James Manyika from Google mentioned that AI could help achieve most of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

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Other AI agreements, like the UK’s Bletchley Declaration involve governments, tech companies, and academics. But the Manhattan Declaration focuses on the researchers themselves.

“As AI scientists and technology-policy researchers, we support a truly inclusive, global approach to understanding AI’s capabilities, opportunities, and risks.”

Conclusion

By coming together, these experts believe they can shape how AI is developed and used for the good of all people. This new pact is a big step in making sure AI benefits everyone on the planet.

Global Researchers Sign New Pact to Make AI a Global Public Good