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Five UN agencies join forces at AI for Good on AI Governance Day

AI Governance | Global Summit

The heads of five United Nations (UN) agencies came together under the leadership of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) at the AI for Good Global Summit to discuss the way forward for AI governance.

This unprecedented gathering, held on May 29, 2024, during AI Governance Day, aimed to leverage the collective expertise and resources of the UN system to address the challenges and opportunities presented by AI. The event coincided with the launch of the latest ‘UN Activities on AI Report’ now available here.

The panel titled “Leveraging the UN system to advance global AI Governance efforts,” featured Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the ITU; Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of the United Nations University (UNU); Daren Tang, Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); Gilbert Houngbo, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO); and Dongyu Qu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The session was moderated by Reinhard Scholl, Programme Chair of AI for Good and Former Deputy Director of TSB at the ITU.

During the session, several interagency collaboration initiatives were highlighted, emphasizing crucial role of the UN to ensure that AI leaves no one behind.

Doreen Bogdan-Martin highlighted the forthcoming collaboration between the ITU and the UNU on an annual flagship report, demonstrating a strong commitment to advancing AI governance through joint research and knowledge sharing.

ILO’s Gilbert Houngbo stressed the importance of an “ecosystem approach” to approaching AI, noting the impact AI will have on jobs and livelihoods.

FAO’s Dongyu Qu highlighted how AI can help produce food to feed the world and aid sustainable development.

This gathering of UN agency heads marks a significant milestone in the global effort to create a comprehensive and inclusive approach to AI governance. With AI for Good at the helm of this joint effort, the UN system is coming together to address the challenges and opportunities presented by AI, fostering international cooperation and multi-stakeholder partnerships to develop governance frameworks that effectively contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Through events like the AI Governance Day, as well as the AI for Good Global Summit, the UN is leading efforts to broaden outreach and foster global agreement on how to harness AI as a force for good, ensuring that no one is left behind.

Watch the full recording of the session on the AI for Good Global Summit’s YouTube channel.