KRANJ, Slovenia – China’s Vice-Minister of Education, Wang Jiayi, expressed China’s willingness to actively engage in global initiatives promoting the ethics and governance of artificial intelligence (AI) during the Second Global Forum on the Ethics of AI. The two-day event, sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), convened in Kranj, Slovenia.
Wang Jiayi noted that the AI governance plans put forth by various countries represent valuable hands-on experiences, serving as a foundation for garnering global consensus and collaboratively crafting international governance strategies. China is open to dialogue with all stakeholders, fostering communication, exchanges, and practical cooperation in the global AI domain. Wang emphasized China’s commitment to building an open, fair, and effective governance mechanism to ensure the benefits of AI reach all of humanity.
The forum, themed “Changing the Landscape of AI Governance,” brought together over 600 representatives from governments, international organizations, academic and research institutions, NGOs, and businesses hailing from 67 countries.
Gabriela Ramos, UNESCO’s assistant director-general for social and human sciences, commended China for not only implementing a series of measures and laws to regulate AI but also actively participating in international initiatives addressing the challenges posed by AI technologies.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay stressed the importance of international cooperation in the face of climate change and the digital revolution. She posed a crucial question, “The question for all of us is whether we will be active participants or just observers of this revolution and how we will direct it to benefit all of us.”
Emilija Stojmenova Duh, Slovenia’s Digital Transformation Minister, expressed confidence in the participants, stating that they possess the “motivation, power, knowledge, and responsibility to develop AI that will work for the good of the people.”
As part of the forum, UNESCO, in collaboration with the Alan Turing Institute and the International Telecommunication Union, launched a global observatory for AI ethics. This observatory will serve as a hub of knowledge on AI ethics and governance, providing access to reports on AI readiness and analyses of best practices.
The forum’s agenda for the upcoming day includes discussions on best practices, building blocks for effective AI governance, and integrating ethical AI in businesses. The inaugural Global Forum on the Ethics of AI took place in 2022 in Prague, the Czech Republic.