TRANSCRIPT
The General Assembly has approved the first United Nations resolution on artificial intelligence.
It gives global support to an international effort to ensure the powerful new technology benefits all nations, respects human rights and is “safe, secure and trustworthy.”
The resolution was adopted with the bang of a gavel.
Holding that gavel was General Assembly President Dennis Francis.
“May I take it that the assembly decided to adopt the draft resolution A/78/L.49. It is so decided.”
Sponsored by the United States and co-sponsored by 123 countries, including China, the non-binding resolution has the support of all 193 UN member nations.
Here's the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
"As President Biden was quoted as saying, this is a 'big bleeping deal.' 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. ... The groundbreaking resolution adopted today cements global consensus for safe, secure, trustworthy AI systems, systems that both advance human development and respect fundamental freedoms."
The resolution is the latest in a series of initiatives - few of which lack significant power or authority - by governments around the world to shape AI's development, amid fears it could be used to disrupt democratic processes, turbocharge fraud or lead to dramatic job losses, among other harms.
"All of this work culminated in what we just saw today. A first of its kind resolution adopted not only by a majority, but by consensus, because ultimately the risk and benefits of AI have the potential to impact all of us, and so approaching it requires all of us. The resolution we just adopted reflected our shared responsibility and collective fate. It leaves no one behind. It lays the groundwork for A.I. systems that leave no one behind, either."
A key goal, according to the resolution, is to use A-I to help progress the U-N’s goals for 2030, including ending global hunger and poverty, improving health worldwide, ensuring quality secondary education for all children and achieving gender equality.
Meanwhile, country music stars in Nashville, Tennessee in the United States, have applauded new legislation signed into law designed to protect songwriters, performers and other music industry professionals against the potential dangers of artificial intelligence.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee was joined by "American Idol" judge and country singer Luke Bryan to sign in the Ensuring Likeness, Voice, and Image Security Act or “ELVIS Act."
Mr Bryan says it is empowering that the state of Tennessee seeks to protect music artists.
"So this is an important thing. What a what a, what an amazing, stance or, precedent to set for the state of Tennessee to get in front of this to be the leaders of this and to show artists like myself, current artists, artists that are moving here, following their dreams, to know that our state protects us and what we're about and what we work so hard for."
Mitch Glazier is the CEO and Chairman of the Recording Industry Association of America.
He says AI is being used to clone the voices of artists negatively impacting their image.
"Voice cloning and image cloning has been a huge problem, and it has gotten exponentially worse. And so that's why it was important to act now to try to address the issue before it blows up and does any true damage. ... I bet every artist has a story about hearing their own voice and thinking, 'I didn't say that.' And this is their art. They spend their entire lives honing their craft and developing their brand and their voice, and to have it stolen and to say things they would never say or do, things that they would never do without their permission. It's just, it's disrespectful and it's immoral."
Country music singer Chris Janson says he also has been cloned.
"I came here wanting a voice. I came here wanting to be heard. Just to speak. Just to play. Just to sing in a lower Broadway honky tonk. You know what that means to a kid from the Midwest or from south Georgia or wherever they come from. That means we made it. And now, in the last coming years, we've been coming under attack a little bit. Faking the voices. I know he's dealt with it. I've dealt with it, too. I heard a demo a while back. I said, 'I don't even remember writing that song. They went, 'You didn't.' And I said, 'Okay, we got to put a stop to this right now.' You know what I'm saying? This is a serious thing. I'm a songwriter first. I've always said that. I'm an artist second."
