The United Nations has drafted a resolution aimed at bringing the rest of the world in line with existing US artificial intelligence (AI) security guidelines. These follow those already developed by the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
Both emphasize the importance of “secure-by-design” and “secure-by-default” principles for AI systems. The UN Assembly called on all Member States and stakeholders “to refrain from or cease the use of artificial intelligence systems that are impossible to operate in compliance with international human rights law.” The Assembly added that the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online throughout the life cycle of artificial intelligence systems.
The UN also urged all States, the private sector, civil society, research organizations, and the media to develop and support regulatory and governance approaches and frameworks related to the safe, secure, and trustworthy use of AI.
Speaking immediately prior to the adoption of the UN resolution, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, said she hoped that the “inclusive and constructive dialogue that led to this resolution would serve as a model for future conversations on AI challenges in other arenas, for example, with respect to peace and security and responsible military use of AI autonomy.”
However, the UN also acknowledges the complexity of creating the kind of global regulatory framework needed to safeguard security while curtailing the military use of AI. The Assembly said that it recognizes the “varying levels” of technological development between and within countries and that developing nations face unique challenges in keeping up with the rapid pace of innovation. It further urged Member States and stakeholders to cooperate with and support developing countries so they can benefit from inclusive and equitable access, close the digital divide, and increase digital literacy.
EU threatens Apple, Google and Meta with heavy fines
Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) has taken the very different view that US regulations regarding competitiveness are inadequate for the protection of European consumers. The cash-strapped EU is now threatening Apple, Google and Facebook parent Meta with swingeing fines for failing to comply with a recently-introduced European ruling designed to promote competition in digital services.
European Commissioner Thierry Breton says that the Commission “suspects that Apple Google ands Meta currently fall short of complying with Europe’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA). Breton warns that if ongoing investigations detect a “lack of full compliance”, the three US digital giants could face “heavy fines” of up to 10 percent of their overall turnover, rising to 20 percent for a second offence.
