AI summit kicks off in Geneva

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Good Global Summit is co-convened with the Swiss government and organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN), in partnership with 40 other UN agencies.

Aiming to leverage AI to advance various global development priorities, including health, climate, gender equality, inclusive prosperity and sustainable infrastructure, the summit gathered over 2,500 participants across the world, including government officials, experts and industry leaders.

In a video address at the event, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called AI a “game changer” for achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals. He stressed the role of AI in enhancing education and health care in remote areas, increasing crop yields, and offering early warning systems for natural disasters.

However, he also emphasized that transforming its potential into reality requires AI to reduce bias, misinformation and security threats, instead of aggravating them. “We need global coordination to build safe and inclusive Al that is accessible to all,” he said.

Meanwhile, ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin called for a unified framework for AI standards that reflect diverse perspectives and the capabilities of standards developers worldwide in her keynote speech. “There is a clear recognition of the importance of both maximizing the benefits of AI while also managing these risks,” she noted.

A special event called AI Governance Day was held on the eve of the summit, bringing government leaders and the global AI community together to focus on the shift from principles to the implementation of better AI regulation.

Chinese companies are under the spotlight at the venue.

In a bustling exhibition hall, booths of Chinese companies were crowded with visitors. Alibaba DAMO Academy showcased AI solutions for early cancer detection, while ZTE presented its comprehensive AI solutions for industry applications.

Hypershell, a Chinese startup specializing in exoskeletons, attracted large crowds with its mountain exoskeleton featuring its self-developed AI MotionEngine with 14 sensors. The technology optimizes control algorithms based on users’ movement data, enhancing their outdoor activities.

Sara Cela, head of the unit for strategic partnerships at the Municipality of Tirana in Albania, was amazed by the product as a hiking lover. “I haven’t seen other examples like this,” she said, adding that the equipment could help people take adventures in nature.

Reflecting on the presence of numerous Chinese brands at the summit, Cela remarked, “China is developing rapidly in AI, and I believe it has significant potential in advancing technology.”

Luo Yonggang, chief engineer of AI Lab at Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd, told Xinhua that his company was invited by the ITU to participate in the workshop to share its experiences in leveraging AI technology to enhance autonomous driving safety, “Chinese electric vehicles and autonomous driving technologies were among the leading groups in the world,” he said, “and that’s why our reports garnered much attention.”

CT Bureau