US experts say major concern about AI is its potentially inequitable distribution of benefits

WASHINGTON: The US capital is looking at opportunities and threats artificial intelligence (AI) and its extensions pose from as many sides as possible to come up with the best possible line of action that features equitability around the globe.

Apart from other implications, tech experts see AI as increasing division as companies ahead in AI usage will derive the available benefits, leaving behind the others that are still getting a handle on the technology.

“Equity really underpins a lot of our thinking about who needs to be in the conversation and what we’re solving for,” said Elizabeth Allen, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, at a roundtable hosted by the Foreign Press Centre at its Office in Washington, DC on Friday.

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Under Secretary Allen spoke at length on the topic ‘US policy towards critical technologies’ with foreign journalists, who were on a reporting tour organised by the FPC of the US Department of State. She was accompanied by Dr Seth Center, Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology. FPC’s Zina Wolfington moderated the roundtable session.

Responding to a query put by Business Recorder if AI would further polarise the world into AI/tech blocks and small countries such as Pakistan would struggle, Allen responded: “I think with a lot of issues that know no borders, tech is certainly often one of them. We’re not looking to create binary choices.

“We’re looking to make sure that governments, people living in countries, have choices in terms of technologies they use or investments they may want to make. It’s up to us to work with allies, partners, and frankly, anyone who wants to come sit at the table to look for solutions.

“Certainly, we are taking a more collaborative approach to this. One of the things that we’ve really talked about internally, Seth and I, our team, everyone, is making sure that discussions around AI, offerings around governance, include countries and both private and public sector leaders in countries that have a lot of technical knowledge or have a lot of investment in their own countries, and those that don’t.

“I would just offer that when we talk about having diverse voices in this discussion, we mean it quite seriously. And I just wanted to make that sort of point at the 50,000-foot level because I think it’s important to hear.”

Dr Seth Center said the AI issue is not necessarily competitive.

“I don’t think it will force choices, necessarily. I think there the question is equitable access at a reasonable price that can give anyone in the world the benefits of AI applications.”

Dr Center said different framing applies to the developed and the developing world.

“I think one of the great concerns around AI, particularly when you think about the highest-end AI systems that are being developed right now, are concerns that the benefits are not going to be shared equitably.

“I think that’s a substantial and important question because if one assumes that we’ll govern AI responsibly and ethically within a governance framework that reduces the risks, then what you’re talking about is a really exciting opportunity to lower the barrier to expert access and knowledge for anyone in the world under any circumstances in any type of socioeconomic situation.

“And that’s not a competitive lens. It’s a sustainable development lens. It’s a humanitarian lens. It’s an economic lens. It’s a huge opportunity. I think that’s where we want to concentrate our conversation around AI.”

Earlier in her opening remarks, Allen said the US is taking a leadership role, and while they are clear-eyed about the harms and hazards at play that they are working to prevent and regulate, they are also very optimistic about the opportunity that emerging technology and AI presents.

“We feel really strongly about making sure that as we work to prevent harms and hazards, we also seize opportunities to go forward,” said Allen.

“One of our sort of grounding principles as we think about emerging tech and AI is that no one country can or should solve this alone – not the United States nor anyone else. There needs to be, by definition, collaboration and a very wide variety of voices at any table that’s discussing how to handle emerging tech and AI going forward. This includes a wide variety of government voices and points of view, and also, critically, civil society, advocacy, tech companies,” she added.

“And as the United States takes a leadership role, we feel very committed to bringing a wide variety of voices around the table to talk about this, which is one reason why Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be helping convene an event at the UN General Assembly High-Level Week.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023