UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Antony Blinken pointed to the promise and pitfalls of synthetic intelligence in a possible last journey to the United Nations as secretary of state, capping his engagements with the world physique after a tumultuous 4 years that noticed battle return to Europe and a number of crises within the Middle East.
With the U.N. Security Council extra divided than ever, Blinken is main two conferences of the U.N.’s strongest physique on Thursday. But neither will concentrate on Russia’s battle with Ukraine or the Middle East, the place the U.S. has been continuously at odds with everlasting members China and Russia and virtually at all times within the minority on the subject of Israel’s battle in opposition to Hamas in Gaza.
Instead, in an obvious bid to supply a modicum of consensus, Blinken is main Security Council classes on AI and the battle in Sudan, which help companies say has sparked a dire humanitarian disaster that has not acquired sufficient consideration.
On AI, Blinken mentioned it has the potential to do “super good” however may also pose “super threats to the worldwide peace and safety that this council is charged with upholding.”
Here’s a take a look at America’s prime diplomat on the U.N.:
Why is Blinken presiding over Security Council conferences?
Blinken has been showing in particular person and nearly earlier than the Security Council since March 2021, simply after assuming his place because the Biden administration’s prime diplomat.
In addition to a number of one-off council conferences, together with one in February 2022 shortly earlier than Russia invaded Ukraine, Blinken has gone to New York for per week each September for the annual General Assembly gathering of world leaders.
The presidency of the Security Council rotates alphabetically each month amongst its 15 members. This month, it’s the U.S. flip.
The nation holding the presidency virtually at all times organizes a number of signature occasions on subjects its authorities chooses. Presidents, prime ministers and international ministers usually preside at these conferences, which ministers from different council nations are invited to attend.
Why is the US not highlighting the Middle East or Ukraine?
Russia and China have blocked all council motion condemning the invasion of Ukraine.
This has led U.S. officers to imagine {that a} session on the subject, particularly as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take workplace with a said purpose of ending the battle instantly, would doubtless be a waste of time.
On the Middle East, the U.S. has continuously vetoed council motion condemning Israel for its ways in opposition to Hamas in Gaza, leaving it nearly alone on the United Nations in supporting Israel.
Why did the US select AI?
The U.S. leads the world in creating AI know-how, in line with a just lately launched Stanford University index, and it has been within the forefront of U.N. motion on AI.
In March, the primary U.N. decision on synthetic intelligence was adopted by the 193-member General Assembly. Sponsored by the U.S., it provides international help to a world effort to make sure the highly effective know-how advantages all nations, respects human rights and is “secure, safe and reliable.”
Blinken famous some threats posed by AI, saying “repressive regimes are utilizing AI-enabled surveillance to focus on journalists and political dissidents” and that “if algorithms are constructed into weapon methods, and in the event that they malfunction, they may spark a battle.”
“By setting guidelines of the highway for AI we are able to reduce these dangers, we are able to harness the distinctive promise of this know-how,” he mentioned.
Why is the US specializing in Sudan?
The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield, recalled in early December that the earlier U.S. presidency of the Security Council in August 2023 befell simply months after battle broke out in Sudan between rival generals heading the navy and paramilitary forces.
The combating has left tens of 1000’s useless, pressured hundreds of thousands from their houses and pushed a big swath of Sudan’s inhabitants to hunger — creating an usually forgotten international disaster the U.S. is searching for to highlight.
Sudan “is dealing with probably the most dire humanitarian crises on the face of the planet,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel instructed reporters Wednesday.
“And so something we are able to do to proceed to work with companions on the U.N. and in any other case to make clear that, work out what methods we are able to proceed to unearth and solidify humanitarian corridors and proceed to push for a political answer, that’s completely a precedence for us and we’ll proceed to make use of methods to raise that,” he mentioned.
Will Blinken confront Russia?
Blinken has represented the U.S. on the Security Council about half a dozen occasions at conferences starting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to the battle in Gaza.
Russia, just like the U.S. and China, is a everlasting veto-holding member of the 15-nation council, and each have seats at its horseshoe-shaped desk.
But aside from pointed disagreements throughout debates, there have been no confrontations or one-on-one conferences between Blinken and Russian diplomats at earlier U.N. conferences — and there was none on Thursday.
Blinken thanked Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia after his remarks — as is customized — despite the fact that Nebenzia accused the U.S. of imposing guidelines on others however not abiding by them. But the Russian envoy agreed that “we can’t enable AI to dominate human beings and human values.”
It shouldn’t be uncommon for Blinken or different senior U.S. officers to attend worldwide conferences and conferences the place Russian officers are current, however interactions are uncommon.
___
Lee reported from Washington.
