UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations General Assembly, with US support, has passed a China-sponsored resolution calling on wealthy developed countries to close the growing gap with poorer developing countries and ensure they have equal opportunities to use and benefit from artificial intelligence.
The resolution approved on Monday follows the March 21 approval the first UN resolution on artificial intelligence led by the United States and co-sponsored by 123 countries, including China. It gave global support to the international effort to ensure that AI is “safe, secure and trustworthy” and that all countries can benefit from it.
The adoption of the two non-binding resolutions shows that the United States and China, rivals in many areasare both committed to playing a key role in shaping the future of this powerful new technology, and have worked together on these first important international steps.
The fact that both resolutions were adopted by consensus by the 193-member General Assembly shows that there is broad global support for their leadership on this issue.
China’s Ambassador to the UN, Fu Cong, told reporters on Monday that the two resolutions are complementary, with the US measure being “more general” and the just-passed measure focusing on “capacity building.”
He called the Chinese resolution, which was supported by more than 140 sponsors, “wonderful and far-reaching” and said: “We are very grateful for the positive role the US has played in this whole process.”
Fu said AI technology is advancing rapidly and the topic has been discussed at very high levels, including by US and Chinese leaders.
“We look forward to intensifying our cooperation with the United States and, for that matter, with all countries in the world in this area, which will have… far-reaching implications in all dimensions,” he said.
However, the Chinese ambassador strongly criticized the US Treasury Department’s proposed regulations, announced on June 21, that would restrict and control US investments in China for artificial intelligence, computer chips and quantum computing.
“We strongly oppose these sanctions,” Fu said. China does not believe the rule “will be helpful to the healthy development of AI technology itself, and will, by extension, divide the world in terms of the standards and in terms of the rules governing AI.” He called on the US to lift the sanctions.
The Chinese resolution calls on the international community to “provide and promote a fair, open, inclusive and non-discriminatory business environment,” from the design and development of AI to its use. Fu said China does not believe the U.S. actions promote an inclusive business environment.
Both the US and Chinese resolutions focus on the civil applications of AIbut Fu told reporters that the military dimension of artificial intelligence is also very important.
“We believe it is imperative that the international community take measures to reduce the dangers and risks posed by the development of AI,” he said.
China is actively participating in negotiations in Geneva on the control of lethal autonomous weapons, Fu said, adding that some countries are considering proposing a General Assembly resolution on the military dimension of AI this year — “and we broadly support that initiative.”
Both the US and Chinese resolutions warned of the dangers of AI, but also emphasized its potential benefits for economic development and the lives of people everywhere.
The US resolution recognizes that “the governance of artificial intelligence systems is an evolving area” that needs further discussions on possible governance approaches. It calls on countries to ensure that personal data is protected, human rights are safeguarded, and AI is monitored for potential risks.
Ambassador Fu, who headed the Foreign Ministry’s arms control department from 2018 to 2022, said China submitted the resolution because of the growing gap in AI technology between the developed North and the developing South.
He said China also wanted to emphasize the central role the United Nations should play in AI governance as “the most representative and most inclusive international forum.”
The Chinese resolution aims to “bridge the gap between and within countries in the field of artificial intelligence and other digital technologies” and to promote international cooperation, including knowledge sharing and technology transfer to developing countries.