The world wants to secure AI — but may have to do it without the US
Multiple proposals for global AI safety standards and guardrails are being discussed this week at the UN General Assembly, though their real impact largely depends on US participation.
This week's session of the United Nations General Assembly has become a venue for several proposals aimed at building international mechanisms for artificial intelligence (AI) safety and protective guardrails. Various countries and organizations are putting forward ideas on how to regulate the fast-growing AI industry and reduce the risks associated with it.
However, these efforts reportedly lack real weight without the involvement of the United States. Without US participation, any international rules or agreements on AI safety risk falling short of meaningfully shaping how the industry develops worldwide.
An annual diplomatic platform
The UN General Assembly gathers world leaders and diplomats each year to discuss pressing international issues. This year, one topic that has drawn attention is the set of challenges posed by artificial intelligence, along with the need for shared international standards to oversee the technology.
Several countries are pushing for a unified approach that would establish common principles for AI safety at the global level. But if one of the countries most heavily involved in AI development — the United States — does not join such initiatives, there is a risk that any proposals adopted will remain largely symbolic rather than practically binding.
This raises the question of whether the rest of the international community can find a way to move discussions on AI safety forward regardless of the US position, or whether such efforts will remain limited without backing from the country most central to AI technology.
