UNESCO Champions Ethics as AI Race Intensifies

Arabian Post

a day ago

UNESCO has mobilised global policymakers, academics and civil society leaders in Bangkok to cement the adoption of its 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, the world's only universal AI ethics framework endorsed by all 194 member states. With over 1,200 delegates from 88 nations and more than 35 ministers present, the third Global Forum on the Ethics of AI underlined the urgency of embedding ethics into AI governance amid growing geopolitical tension between the United States and China.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay urged attendees to forge multilateral cooperation. 'Preparing the world for AI and preparing AI for the world,' she said, must ensure AI 'serves the common good'. She announced the launch of a Global Network of AI Supervisory Authorities alongside a Global Network of Civil Society and Academic Organisations, aiming to support national regulators and promote public participation in AI policymaking.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra of Thailand, the first Asia-Pacific host of this forum, confirmed the country's neutral stance in the intensifying AI rivalry. She emphasised transparency, responsibility and ethical foundations as Bangkok seeks to develop its own domestic AI ecosystem.
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Industry heavyweights such as OpenAI, Google and China's DeepSeek were conspicuously absent, highlighting the challenge of securing tech-sector buy-in despite mounting tensions in tech diplomacy. Analysts note that US congressional proposals to ban federal use of China-linked AI tools reflect a broader decoupling trend, complicating efforts to forge a global consensus.
UNESCO's Readiness Assessment Methodology, applied across 70 countries—including seven ASEAN nations—was showcased as a diagnostic tool to bridge ethical principles and domestic policy. The forum featured 22 thematic sessions and 11 side events exploring AI's intersection with gender, environmental sustainability, health, education, neurotechnology, quantum computing and judicial systems.
Participants stressed that ethical governance need not hamper innovation. As one policy advisor noted, a rights-based approach is key to building public trust and preventing inequalities. Commentators also drew attention to the absence of senior officials from the US—a potential signal that Washington is prioritising tech protection over global ethics cooperation.
Experts at the forum compared the regulatory philosophies of the US and China. A recent academic analysis highlights divergences: the US has focused on export controls and safety standards, whereas China emphasises state-led data governance and mandatory ethics guidelines domestically. Participants warned that such divergent domestic approaches risk widening the digital divide and obstructing international regulatory coherence.
UNESCO also unveiled a new Global AI Ethics Observatory and an 'Ethics Experts without Borders' network to promote knowledge-sharing and rapid deployment of best practices. Civil society groups welcomed the establishment of a global network linking NGOs and academic institutions, noting it as a vital step toward inclusive governance.
Thailand's cultural prominence was also noted. Azoulay praised its heritage—from UNESCO World Heritage sites to intangible cultural landmarks like Tom Yum Kung—as a backdrop that reinforces the need to respect diversity when crafting AI policy.
Despite strong momentum, analysts caution that global fragmentation remains a major threat. The absence of major private tech firms and widening geopolitical divides limit the prospects for a truly universal ethics framework. Success will depend on translating global principles into enforceable national regulations and aligning competing visions from Washington, Beijing and Brussels.