Generative AI poses risks on human society. (PHOTO: VCG) 

By ZHU Rongsheng

Global security governance vis-à-vis artificial intelligence (AI), especially addressing the risks caused by generative AI, has become a core issue at the 18th Internet Governance Forum in Kyoto, Japan, held from October 8 to 12.

In the forum opening speech, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the application of AI has accelerated the spread of false information on the Internet, and called on the international community to jointly deal with the global risks of advanced AI.

Nick Clegg, president of Global Affairs at Meta, formerly Facebook, said that digital technology should not benefit only a few. Greater openness and equity is urgently needed to maintain technology safety and drive innovation.

These calls by international and industry leaders highlight the need for true multilateralism in the international community's pursuit of maximizing the benefits and reducing the risks of digital technologies, rather than abuse of export controls and intensification of the geopolitical competition that is dividing the world.

Kishida said that Japan is working with other G7 members to complete the code of conduct for the Hiroshima AI Process, whose objective is to govern AI to ensure fairness and accountability while promoting transparency.

Though Kishida claimed to listen to the views of the Global South, it is a fact that while the development of governance norms by a small number of countries may be more conducive to rapid theoretical formation, it will never provide a broadly representative consensus to address the global digital governance challenges.

Countries that lack effective use of the Internet are less able to enjoy the benefits of AI, and countries that lag behind in the development of emerging technologies will find it more difficult to have a voice in international governance rules-making.

At a time when technology exchanges are politicized and digital governance is ideologized, it is increasingly necessary to build a community of shared future for mankind to solve the problem of unbalanced international development and governance deficit.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed the need for open and human-center cooperation in digital governance to bridge the global digital divide.

On September 26, China issued a white paper entitled Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind: China's Initiatives and Actions. China calls on all countries to uphold the vision of a shared future, fully communicate and consult, share governance responsibilities, and form broad consensus and concerted actions to address global issues.

Such a governance path based on extensive participation by the international community and general consensus is more conducive to ensuring true multilateralism in global digital governance.

Zhu Rongsheng is a research associate at the Center for International Security and Strategy of Tsinghua University.