Top official seeks guidelines for AI use across the globe

DUBAI — A global framework for the use of artificial intelligence needs to be issued in order to have a “successful” use of technologies, according to senior advisor to the Artificial Intelligence Initiative.

Nicolas Economou believes there needs to be common guidelines that each country is following when it comes to the application of artificial intelligence (AI). Economou, who is also the CEO of H5 and was a member of the Law and Judiciary policy committee for Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign, was speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the AI Global Governance of AI at the pre-event of the World Government Summit.

He was part of a workshop at the forum, which discussed the practice of law and justice related to Artificial Intelligence.

“In my opinion, a specific law is probably too specific and too undifferentiated to be able to practically work. A model that works better is to develop common guidelines framework based on shared values,” he said.

“We are very different culturally but there are certain things that humanity reasons on — that we are all born with the same fundamental rights and dignity, that peace is better than war, respect is better than humiliation.

All of that can surface guidelines for ethical principles of adoption of AI, which respects a human being and produces ethicality. Then, create specific guidelines for applications in different countries.

“I think it’s really important to recognise, at an application level, the way different countries might want to use AI. There has to be flexibility of different cultural norms, otherwise, we would have difficult succeeding.”

He said transparency in applications of AI is essential in order to govern properly. In the case of self-driving cars, for example, Economou said the specifics about the cause and effect of potential accidents are important.

“In that continuum, it is crucial to be able to identify who actually caused the cause of effect. That’s why it is the underpinning of any legislation. Transparency is incredibly important to be able to identify the cause and effect. Legislation will have to focus on the transparency.”

I think it’s really important to recognise, at an application level, the way different countries might want to use AI.” Nicolas Economou, senior advisor, Artificial Intelligence Initiative