AI in international cooperaration

Ethical issues relating to new digital technologies, such as AI, cannot be resolved at a national level alone. AI systems developed in countries such as the US, China and Germany are used worldwide. The ethical guidelines incorporated into their development therefore directly impact societies in other countries. As the majority of AI development occurs in a few industrialised and emerging economies, there is a risk that poorer countries will fall behind technologically, further widening the so-called 'digital divide' between nations.

The development and application of AI raises issues of global justice. The UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial IntelligenceExternal link: addresses these issues, calling for specific actions from UNESCO member states and the international community. AI systems must respect and promote human rights wherever they are deployed, and the digital divide within and between societies must be overcome. Furthermore, international cooperation on AI must be significantly expanded.

The UNESCO Recommendation emphasises the importance of people from low- and middle-income countries participating in the development and regulation of AI technologies at an international level. The focus is particularly on African countries, as their peaceful and prosperous development has been a key priority of UNESCOExternal link: and the German Commission for UNESCO's international cooperation for many years.

The UNESCO Recommendation emphasises the importance of people from low- and middle-income countries participating in the use of AI technologies and the regulation of these technologies at an international level. Paritcular focus is given to African countries, as promoting their peaceful and prosperous development has been a key mandate of the work of UNESCOExternal link: and the German Commission for UNESCO for many years.

In light of this, the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI sets the following overarching objective:

The German Commission for UNESCO is contributing to the achievement of this goal by raising awareness among key stakeholders in Germany, as well as engaging in dialogue with international experts and other Commissions for UNESCO worldwide.

National awareness for global AI justice

The German Commission for UNESCO is promoting a global perspective on AI justice by organising panel discussions and workshops that bring together stakeholders from German development cooperation, science policy, and the Global South. There is a risk that the global community will repeat the mistakes of previous technological developments in the AI revolution: high-income countries dominate the development and use of new AI systems, while poorer countries once again find themselves in the role of observers. However, events organised by the German Commission for UNESCO repeatedly demonstrate the great potential of these countries for AI research and development. There is already a whole series of ‘AI hubs’ across Africa where experts from academia and industry are collaborating successfully.

Through its international cooperation activities, Germany can contribute more effectively to realising this potential, as well as supporting the equal development and use of AI. This could be achieved by actively involving poorer countries in regulatory processes, for example, or by expanding international scientific cooperation on AI topics.

International networking on the ethics of AI

The German Commission for UNESCO organises international training and networking events to promote global AI justice. These include online seminars for staff from National Commission for UNESCO worldwide, where they can share ideas on effectively implementing the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI. The seminars clearly demonstrate the significant advantages of collaboration between the 200 National Commissions for UNESCO. Despite their national differences, the challenges and solutions they face are often similar or transferable, whether with regard to communicating AI topics to national stakeholders or promoting AI education.