Candidates for UN's AI panel include two Chinese scientists

The United Nations unveiled a list of 40 candidates for the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, which UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said is "an important step to help ensure that artificial intelligence serves all of humanity".

Among the candidates are two Chinese scientists, Song Haitao, dean of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, and Wang Jian, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and an expert in cloud-computing technology.

Guterres noted that, as the first fully independent global scientific body dedicated to bridging the knowledge gap in AI and assessing its real-world economic and social impacts, the panel will operate independently with the support of the UN.

The list includes scientists from every region and across disciplines, such as machine learning, data governance, public health, cybersecurity, childhood development, and human rights. The UN General Assembly will make a final decision on membership on Feb 12, aiming to safeguard the development of AI.

Guterres highlighted the rapid evolution of AI and stressed the urgent need for regulation, emphasizing the importance of building a consensus to establish effective safeguards, harness innovation for humanity's benefit, and foster international cooperation.

"No country can see the full picture alone at a time of deep geopolitical tension and growing technological rivalry. We urgently need common grounds and the practical basis for cooperation based on science and solidarity," he said, adding that the panel will help distinguish between the real and the fake, and between science and pseudoscience.

Zhang Linghan, dean of the School of Artificial Intelligence and Law at the China University of Political Science and Law, pointed out that the AI policies of different countries are constrained by their local economic, political, and technological development levels.

Zhang said that this panel will offer policymakers around the world an objective, fair, and scientifically rigorous evaluation of the current circumstance of AI, enabling them to stay informed on governance trends while fulfilling their international responsibilities.

Additionally, it aims to swiftly identify key stakeholders through its network and activate a coordinated response mechanism to ensure efficient collaboration in the event of a global AI crisis, she added.