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United Nations boss calls for the regulation of Artificial Intelligence


Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to developing computer systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence.

It is a branch of computer science that focuses on creating intelligent machines capable of mimicking and replicating human reasoning abilities such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception and decision-making.

AI systems are designed to process vast amounts of data, recognize patterns and make predictions or take actions based on that data.

They can be trained to perform specific tasks such as image recognition, natural language processing, speech recognition or playing games.

AI technology is used in various fields, including healthcare, finance, transportation, manufacturing, customer service and many more, revolutionizing industries and impacting the way we live and work.

Also read: List of jobs that A.I. may deem obsolete – ChatGPT

Today, several tech companies are in a race to create the best AI computer systems after Chat GPT became popular. They include Google, Meta, Amazon, IBM and Oracle.

Yesterday, the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, called for regulating AI “for the good of all”, saying they must be grounded in human rights, transparency, and accountability.

“AI must benefit everyone, including the one third of humanity who are still offline. Human rights, transparency and accountability must light the way. We must urgently find consensus around essential guardrails to govern the development and deployment of AI for the good of all,” said Mr Guterres at the AI for Good Global Summit.

The same was echoed by the International Telecommunication Union Secretary General, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, who called for global corporations to ensure AI reaches its full potential while preventing and mitigating harm.

Acceptance of AI continues to be gradual as people express reservations about it. Many fear that AI systems could potentially displace humans from their jobs, can perpetuate bias and discrimination based on the data it is trained on, can be breached, and people’s security put at risk if not properly secured, can be used for malicious purposes such as surveillance or cyber warfare; and make independent decisions that could have far-reaching implications that are difficult to anticipate or control.

Despite all these fears, AI continues to gain popularity for its capability of automating tasks, optimizing processes, analyzing large amounts of data, and making predictions. This is in addition to its capability of saving companies huge costs for operations and increasing productivity among employees who use it. AI can also serve as a voice assistant.

Also read: 30 skills you may need as A.I. disrupts the job market