Promotion and Implementation of the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Northeast Asia and the Asia Pacific region
Today, artificial intelligence plays a role in billions of people’s lives. Sometimes unnoticed but often with profound consequences, it transforms our societies and challenges what it means to be human. The implementation of the 2021 UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI), led by the Social and Human Sciences Sector, is a priority for UNESCO.
In 2022, UNESCO Beijing Office led the coordination of UNESCO’s Asia Pacific regional strategy on AI ethics, while also supporting specific activities for countries in Northeast Asia. The Office has been promoting advocacy, awareness raising, and building partnerships on the Recommendation at important AI-related conferences and workshops in the region.
On 1 September, at the AI Governance Forum of the 2022 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), Ms. Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO (ADG/SHS), delivered a video message during the opening session of the Forum, highlighting ongoing work and achievements around the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. Ms. Ramos also provided a keynote presentation of the Recommendation during the "Science, Ethics, and Human Development" International Conference in Viet Nam on 15 September.
UNESCO Beijing Office also participated and delivered in-depth introduction on the Recommendation at the launching ceremony and workshop of the Principles on AI for Biodiversity Conservation on 25 August, the WAIC on 1 September, and the 3rd International Workshop on Cross-cultural AI Ethics and Governance on 9 December. UNESCO Beijing Office, in support of UNESCO Bangkok Office, also delivered an online lecture on the Recommendation and its synergies with the Declaration of Ethical Principles in relation to Climate Change at King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUNTB) on 5 August. Furthermore, on 17 November, UNESCO Beijing Office also presented the Recommendation to the network of Asia-Pacific National Bioethics/Ethics Committees (APNEC), focusing on its relevance to AI in health care.
Through the above events, partnerships with AI-related institutions and organizations were established or further strengthened. These are important partners like Institute of Automation of the Chinese Academy of Science and the Institute of AI International Governance of Tsinghua University.
Hardcopies of the brochure on the Recommendation were made available in English and Chinese through the Office, and were widely disseminated at several major events in China, including at the 2022 World AI Conference in Shanghai and the 2022 China International Fair for Trade in Services in Beijing.
