UNESCO member states adopt the first ever global agreement on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

UNESCO member states have adopted the first global agreement on AI ethics, establishing common values and principles to guide legal frameworks for AI development. The agreement addresses critical challenges posed by AI technologies, including gender and ethnic bias, privacy concerns, mass surveillance, and unreliable AI use in law enforcement. Key provisions include protecting individual data rights, prohibiting social scoring and mass surveillance systems, implementing ethical impact assessments, and promoting environmentally sustainable AI development. The framework requires human accountability for AI systems, prevents granting legal personality to AI technologies, and mandates regular progress reporting from member states. The agreement emphasizes the need for fair, transparent, and contestable AI decisions while promoting beneficial AI applications in fields such as healthcare, disability support, and climate change mitigation. States must assess both direct and indirect environmental impacts throughout AI system lifecycles, including carbon footprints and resource consumption. - AI-generated abstract.