OECD calls for co-operation on global AI regulations as risks grow

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is calling for greater co-operation and “interoperability” across governments to rein in artificial intelligence, amid serious risks stemming from the technology's rapid growth and reach.

With users of AI tools set to grow more than sixfold through the decade, to almost three quarters of a billion, principles for trustworthy AI need to be developed and implemented, Lucia Rossi, an economist and policy analyst at the OECD's AI division, said on the sidelines of Samsung Unpacked in Paris on Thursday.

“We see that policymakers across the globe are issuing different regulatory frameworks … we encourage interoperability across jurisdictions and encourage co-operation across these players,” she said.

Paris-based OECD has been focusing on AI for nearly a decade, and in May 2019 its member countries adopted the OECD AI Principles, the first intergovernmental standard on AI.

Regulations should be designed to protect “human rights, privacy, transparency, safety and accountability”, and any principle should “set a guide, a blueprint for policymakers and all stakeholders to set a common ground that we all must find to foster a thriving AI ecosystem”, Ms Rossi added.

Among the biggest risks when it comes to AI are bias and threats to authenticity, especially with its growing user base, Don McGuire, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Qualcomm, said at the panel.

The emergence of generative AI, propelled to the forefront by OpenAI's ChatGPT in 2023, has accelerated its expansion.

Growing interest in the technology, due to its advanced conversational skills, led to a scramble by technology majors such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Oracle, and corporate leaders such as X owner Elon Musk to enter the space.

However, its sudden rise has also raised questions about how data is used in AI models and how the law applies to the output of those models, such as a paragraph of text or a computer-generated image.

Users of AI tools are projected to reach 729.11 million by 2030, a 132 per cent jump from an estimated 314.38 million this year and a 529 per cent surge from 2020, data from Statista shows.

“We can continue to develop the future of mobile AI based on consumer experience, the importance of reliable AI development and the critical role of collaboration in shaping AI for the humanities,” said Won-joon Choi, an executive vice president at Samsung Electronics, which on Wednesday launched its newest foldable and wearable line-ups in the French capital.

Bridging the gap

The use of mobile AI is increasing and also having an impact on users' quality of life, a survey by Samsung and the University of London found.

Those who use AI more frequently are about 1.4 times more likely to rate their quality of life as “good to very good” compared to those who rarely use it, the study found.

The report, which surveyed more than 5,000 individuals, also revealed that 46 per cent were most likely to use mobile AI on their smartphones, with PCs next at 32 per cent.

More than half of people surveyed also indicated they will continue to use mobile AI as the technology advances in the future.

The study is the first of its kind linking AI on quality of life and lifestyles, said Chris Brauer, director of innovation of the Institute of Management Studies at Goldsmiths in the University of London.

“We approached it from a perspective where we were trying to understand what people actually wanted to do with this technology and where the opportunities, risks and fears lie, and engaging with it.”

The study also claims that mobile AI is giving users a boost “where it matters most” – creativity, productivity, social relationships and physical health.

It will also be useful in addressing attempts to bridge the digital divide, which adversely affects those without access to the latest technology, Mr McGuire said.

“You have to connect the underconnected and unconnected, and then bring the technology to them and the skill set to be able to utilise it,” he said.

“Some people might say they are better off not being connected because they don't have to deal with social media … but there's so many obviously positive aspects of being connected, such as for healthcare and education, and moving the socioeconomic status of people all around.”