Innovation in AI must remain human-centered, UN expert tells RT

Maintaining digital sovereignty amid technology’s rapid development becoming an increasingly important goal, Cosmas Zavazava says

The world must encourage innovative technologies for the people, paying utmost attention to data privacy and security in the face of AI development, the Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau at the UN’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Cosmas Zavazava, told RT on the sidelines of the first Euro-Asian IT forum.

Moscow hosted the international event, which brought together technology and information experts. The forum, titled ‘Digital sovereignty as the basis for long-term international cooperation’ was held this week at the international multimedia press center of Rossiya Segodnya media group.

”It is important, of course, to safeguard privacy and the management of data, so, I think, it is very important to uphold digital sovereignty across the world. We encourage an inclusive digital society, and many people are discouraged because of insecurity in the information age,” Zavazava said.

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With the new digital era emerging and the “bigger things” set to come, the international community as a whole and its individual members alike must prepare the legal framework for the new, rapidly-developing technologies, the official noted. Digitalization, however, must remain human-centric, Zavazava added, warning about the dangers it may bring.

”The world is going to be integrated, we’re talking about globalization, we’re getting into an era when technologies are becoming very powerful. It could be powerful in a positive way, but also powerful in a negative way,” he said.

”So, artificial intelligence is quite a critical element, we should be developing technology and introducing technology that is encouraging innovation, but that innovation must remain for the people, human-centric,” Zavazava concluded.