The World Economic Forum (WEF) has launched the AI Governance Alliance, a dedicated initiative focused on responsible generative artificial intelligence (AI).
This initiative expands “on the existing framework and builds on the recommendations from the Responsible AI Leadership: A Global Summit on Generative AI.”
The AI Governance Alliance aims “to address today’s most critical issues as humanity approaches a potentially transformative socio-economic era.”
By bringing together influential regional voices and multiple stakeholders globally, the alliance seeks “to harness the benefits of generative AI systems and technologies while ensuring equitable and sustainable global impacts.”
Leveraging the World Economic Forum’s 50 years of expertise in multistakeholder partnerships, the AI Governance Alliance “combines private sector knowledge, public sector governance and civil society objectives to address the transformative nature of generative AI systems.”
With the support of the World Economic Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the alliance actively engages “with various regions while contributing to shaping a global approach to address the transformative nature of generative AI systems.”
Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum, emphasized the alliance’s significance:
“The AI Governance Alliance marks a significant stride towards responsible and ethical advancements in generative AI technology. Given its potential to transform businesses and societies, it is crucial that generative AI be developed and deployed with an unwavering focus on societal progress and human-centric principles.”
The primary goal of the AI Governance Alliance is “to formulate and implement practical recommendations for the responsible design, development and deployment of generative AI systems.”
This initiative prioritizes three key areas:
- Safe systems and technologies
- Sustainable applications and transformation
- Resilient governance and regulation
By delving into crucial themes such as informed technology decisions, responsible adoption, the societal implications of AI, and ethical governance, “the initiative offers guidance, tools and resources that foster the responsible and inclusive global development and deployment of generative AI technologies.”
Brad Smith, Vice-Chair and President, Microsoft, said:
“As a society, we must be clear-eyed about both the promise and the perils of generative AI and work together to ensure AI is always in service to humanity. The AI Governance Alliance is an important forum to bring together perspectives from around the world, connecting industry, governments and civil society to better answer how we can govern AI responsibly and do so at the pace of technological change.”
Kent Walker, President, Global Affairs, Google and Alphabet, said:
“The World Economic Forum AI Governance Alliance will help ensure that AI is developed and used boldly and responsibly. We look forward to engaging with governments and civil society to establish 21st-century frameworks for 21st-century technologies. We’re seeing remarkable technological advances, and we welcome the AI Governance Alliance’s plans to further opportunity, responsibility and security – working together to build AI that helps everyone.”
Nick Clegg, President, Global Affairs, Meta Platforms, said:
“It’s vital that powerful new technologies are developed openly, not just behind-closed-doors in Silicon Valley. Realizing the immense potential of generative AI while mitigating the risks will take hard work and a spirit of openness and collaboration across the tech industry, governments and civil society. The World Economic Forum AI Governance Alliance provides a forum to address issues around generative AI openly and accountably, bring new voices and perspectives to the debate, and ensure guardrails are developed that keep people safe.”
Gary Cohn, Vice Chairman, IBM, said:
“AI technologies are quickly reshaping our world. We have an opportunity to create ethical guardrails and policy frameworks that will inform how generative AI is designed and deployed. The World Economic Forum is creating the AI Governance Alliance to address responsible generative AI, and IBM looks forward to contributing our own expertise to this work.”