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The United Nations General Assembly adopted a Chinese-sponsored resolution with U.S. support urging wealthy developed nations to close the widening gap with poorer developing countries and ensure that they have equal opportunities to use and benefit from artificial intelligence<\/a>.<\/p>\n The resolution approved Monday follows the March 21 adoption of\u00a0the first U.N. resolution<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0artificial intelligence<\/a>\u00a0spearheaded by the United States and co-sponsored by 123 countries including China. It gave global support to the international effort to ensure that AI is \u201csafe, secure and trustworthy\u201d and that all nations can take advantage of it.<\/p>\n Adoption of the two non-binding resolutions shows that the\u00a0United States and China, rivals in many areas<\/a>, are both determined to be key players in shaping the future of this powerful new technology \u2014 and have been cooperating on these first important international steps.<\/p>\n The adoption of both resolutions by consensus by the 193-member General Assembly shows widespread global support for their leadership on the issue.<\/p>\n China\u2019s U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong told reporters Monday that the two resolutions are complementary, with the U.S. measure being \u201cmore general\u201d and the just-adopted one focusing on \u201ccapacity building.\u201d<\/p>\n He called the Chinese resolution, which had over 140 sponsors, \u201cgreat and far-reaching,\u201d and said, \u201cWe\u2019re very appreciative of the positive role that the U.S. has played in this whole process.\u201d<\/p>\n Fu said AI technology is advancing extremely fast and the issue has been discussed at very senior levels, including by the U.S. and Chinese leaders.<\/p>\n \u201cWe do look forward to intensifying our cooperation with the United States and for that matter with all countries in the world on this issue, which \u2026 will have far-reaching implications in all dimensions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The Chinese ambassador, however, strongly criticized the U.S. Treasury Department\u2019s proposed rule, announced on June 21, that would restrict and monitor U.S. investments in China for\u00a0artificial intelligence, computer chips and quantum computing<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are firmly opposed to these sanctions,\u201d Fu said. China doesn\u2019t believe the rule will be \u201chelpful to the healthy development of the AI technology per se, and will, by extension, divide the world in terms of the standards, and in terms of the rules governing AI.\u201d He called on the U.S. to lift the sanctions.<\/p>\n The Chinese resolution calls on the international community \u201cto provide and promote a fair, open, inclusive and non-discriminatory business environment,\u201d from AI\u2019s design and development to its use. Fu said China doesn\u2019t think the U.S. actions foster an inclusive business environment.<\/p>\n Both the U.S. and Chinese resolutions focus on the\u00a0civilian applications of AI<\/a>, but Fu told reporters the military dimension of artificial intelligence is also very important.<\/p>\n \u201cWe do believe that it is necessary for the international community to take measures to reduce the dangers and the risks posed by the development of AI,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n China is actively participating in negotiations in Geneva on controlling lethal autonomous weapons, Fu said, adding that some countries are considering proposing a General Assembly resolution this year on the military dimension of AI \u2014 \u201cand we are in broad support of that initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n Both the U.S. and Chinese resolutions warned of the dangers of AI while also touting its potential benefits in promoting economic development and the lives of people everywhere.<\/p>\n\n