The developing world has surely had the shorter end of the stick in artificial intelligence. The gap between the rich and poor nations has led to a lack of access to technology, severely impacting the capability of developing nations to enhance digital literacy and build digital infrastructure.
On 21st March 2024, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously approved its first-ever resolution on AI. The resolution titled “Seizing the opportunities of safe, secure, and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems for sustainable development” aims to encourage member states to protect human rights and monitor the development and uses of AI. The resolution marks a global consensus to regulate a rapidly evolving technology.
A notable aspect of the resolution is its focus on the developing world. The resolution consistently strives to bridge the divide between the developed and developing nations. It stresses equitable access to AI for the developing nations. This is significant in a world where the benefits of AI have largely been enjoyed by the developed nations.
This article analyses the challenges faced by the developing world in AI and how the UN’s recent resolution can help mitigate these challenges.
Challenges faced by the developing world in AI
Developed nations are often more motivated to harness new technologies such as AI given their higher wages, whereas developing nations are reluctant to replace workforces with these new technologies. This is because many of these nations need to provide employment opportunities to their growing populations. Further, developing nations are focused on building healthcare, education and infrastructure. Many of them cannot bear the additional costs of investing in AI.
Another challenge for developing nations is the decline in employment opportunities from the developed nations in sectors such as manufacturing and logistics. Earlier, developed nations would employ the manpower of developing nations in sectors such as manufacturing and logistics, but this need is now dwindling with growing AI technologies.
AI solutions are also often supplied to developing nations by developed nations themselves. But these do not always benefit developing nations. For instance, a Russian company that sold facial recognition technology in Kenya and South Africa proved to perform inaccurately on the faces of African women, which also hints at the ignorance of the needs of developing nations in AI.
In the light of these growing challenges, there is a need for equitable participation of the developing world in the AI revolution. The developed world needs to provide greater support to the developing world both technologically and financially. Developing nations must also be prominently represented in global, multilateral conversations on AI. The UN’s recent resolution on AI is significant in this regard. Various provisions entailed in the resolution can potentially be immensely beneficial to the developing world.
How the UN’s resolution can help the developing world
The resolution strives for equitable access to AI for the developing world. It stresses the need to build capacity and digital infrastructure. It addresses the need to foster programmes for knowledge sharing and transfer of technology to the developing world, thereby addressing the structural impediments of the developing world in accessing AI [para 4 (a)-(c)]. The resolution also entails provisions that encourage greater funding and resources for the developing world in AI, thereby enabling means of implementation for developing nations to harness AI. [para 4 (d)-(f)]
The resolution also protects the developing world from the vulnerabilities of AI by focusing on the use of AI in accordance with human rights [para 5]. It stresses on protection from discrimination and biases caused by AI. There are provisions in place for privacy, data protection and setting up of risk management and feedback mechanisms for AI tools [para 6 (a)-(f)]. These provisions can potentially act as safety blankets for the developing nations as they begin to emerge in the field of AI.
Further, a striking provision of the resolution addresses the concern regarding the loss of jobs for the workforce of developing nations as they gain prominence in the AI revolution [para 6 (q)]. The provision encourages research and international cooperation to identify and assess the impact of AI on labour markets and provide support for the mitigation of negative consequences for workforces of developing nations. This provision is significant as it puts forth the need to delicately balance the development of AI in developing nations, rather than prescribing a fast and absolute acceptance of AI technologies.
Another provision of the resolution acknowledges the role of the private sector in building a more inclusive and equitable environment in AI, in accordance with human rights [para 9]. This encourages the private sector to turn its focus towards the developing world. The resolution also calls for continued discussion in the field of AI with more cohesive, effective and coordinated participation from the developing world [para 8].
UN resolutions express the will of all member states. These resolutions, although not legally binding, are symbolic as they can influence the behaviour of nations to conform to certain common standards. They can also lead to isolation of those nations that do not conform. It cannot be denied that resolutions do put considerable pressure on nations to act in the manner agreed upon by the international community. They also influence international law and often serve as a basis for the development of legal norms and principles. For example, the UN first passed a resolution on the use of outer space in 1961, following which multiple nations referred to the provisions of the resolution to draft their respective legal frameworks. A similar impact can be expected in AI as 193 member states agreed upon the resolution, expressing their collective will to make AI more equitable.
Conclusion
The UN’s resolution on AI is a landmark resolution, especially for the developing world. It rightfully addresses the needs of the developing nations, prescribes methods to fulfil those needs and calls upon the developed world to assist the developing world in the rapidly growing field of AI.
The resolution strikes a good balance between encouraging the use of AI and managing the challenges posed by it. It can certainly serve as a blueprint for nations, encouraging them to incorporate the ideals of inclusivity and cooperation in their respective legal frameworks for AI. The resolution serves a timely purpose in this regard.
The unanimous acceptance of the resolution only provides more hope to the developing world to find a space for itself in the field of AI. What the UN says has a significant impact on how the international community acts and 193 member states agreeing to a set of global norms certainly points to a promising future for the developing world in AI.
References
Development Aid, https://www.developmentaid.org/news-stream/post/158745/how-ai-can-impact-developing-countries (last visited Sept. 1, 2024)
Qimiao Fan and Christine Zhenwei Qiang, Tipping the scales: AI’s dual impact on developing nations, World Bank Blogs, (Sept. 2, 2024, 1:27 am), https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/digital-development/tipping-the-scales--ai-s-dual-impact-on-developing-nations#:~:text=As%20AI%2Dfueled%20automation%20advances,jobs%20for%20growing%20young%20populations.
Nir Kshetri, Artificial intelligence in developing countries, 22, IEEE, 63-68, (2020), https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncg/f/N_Kshetri_Artificial_2020.pdf
Joyjit Chatterjee and Nina Dethlefs, Developing countries are being left behind in the AI race- and that’s a problem for all of us, The Conversation (Sept. 2, 2024, 2:03 am), https://theconversation.com/developing-countries-are-being-left-behind-in-the-ai-race-and-thats-a-problem-for-all-of-us-180218
Chinasa T. Okolo, AI in the Global South: Opportunities and challenges towards more inclusive governance, Brookings, (Sept. 2, 2024, 2:11 am), https://www.brookings.edu/articles/ai-in-the-global-south-opportunities-and-challenges-towards-more-inclusive-governance/
United Nations General Assembly, (2024), Seizing the opportunities of safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems for sustainable development, New York City, https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/ltd/n24/065/92/pdf/n2406592.pdf
Celine Van den Rul, Why have resolutions of the UN General Assembly if they are not legally binding, E-International Relations, (Sept. 2, 2024, 11:18 pm), https://www.e-ir.info/2016/06/16/why-have-resolutions-of-the-un-general-assembly-if-they-are-not-legally-binding/
About the Author
Aarti Ashwin graduated from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai with a degree in political science in 2023 and is currently in the 1st year of the 3-year LLB course at Government Law College, Mumbai.
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