Artificial intelligence — rendered one of the emerging technologies — is crucial in the twenty first century for economies, lives and capabilities. It has definitely enormous positive impacts and will continue to provide many benefits for the world. Artificial intelligence, which has made rapid advances over the last decade or so, reduces human errors, helps make decisions, improves lives and brings many other positive outcomes. AI has already influenced almost all industries. But artificial intelligence has several notable negative outcomes including the loss of certain jobs, a reduction in human emotion and creativity and its infringement on fundamental human rights. Its negative outcomes and potential to disrupt human existence have led to growing concern among many across the world.
The positive side is that the leaders of several countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Canada commendably voiced their concerns and agreed on the need for AI governance at the G-7 Summit held in Hiroshima. Notably, different countries and organizations have already been making efforts to regulate AI applications. Several AI-related laws/regulations were passed in 2022 in different countries including the US, Spain and the Philippines. The EU has recently drafted the EU AI Act with a robust/comprehensive AI regulatory approach that may be passed soon. While most countries having AI regulatory measures have some AI regulation in terms of the privacy of conversation and recording and some other aspects, many countries do not have AI regulatory measures.
It is definitely a difficult task to effectively regulate AI because of technological, legal and other factors. Artificial intelligence is still emerging and its risks and benefits are still unknown. It is complex and not a discrete technology but a collection of different technologies — some of which focus on autonomous systems and others on enabling conversational systems or recognition. A difficulty also exists in deciding whether governments should regulate AI’s development or developed AI technology. Its rapid changes may make it difficult for policymakers to frequently revise regulatory laws because of legal and other barriers. Also, AI’s regulation in some countries may not lead to the desirable outcomes as actions and decisions regarding it in one country may adversely affect others.
The regulation of artificial intelligence is definitely needed. But an abrupt regulation of AI may hinder it from generating beneficial outcomes. While it is important to provide opportunities for artificial intelligence to be improved and become capable of bringing more beneficial outcomes, effective efforts need to be made to regulate it so that its negative outcomes can be minimized as much as possible across the world. Emphasis consequently needs to be given to the reduction of the threat of artificial intelligence to humanity. The use of AI technologies needs to be made safe, effective and responsible across the world. Measures are also needed to create new opportunities for those affected by AI.
Amir M Sayem
Chief Editor
Dhaka Opinion Magazine
