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Scoop
08-07-2025
- Science
- Scoop
UN Summit Confronts AI's Dawn Of Wonders And Warnings
The AI for Good Global Summit 2025 brings together governments, tech leaders, academics, civil society and young people to explore how artificial intelligence can be directed toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – and away from growing risks of inequality, disinformation and environmental strain. ' We are the AI generation,' said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, chief of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) – UN's specialized agency for information and communications technology – in a keynote address. But being part of this generation means more than just using these technologies. ' It means contributing to this whole-of-society upskilling effort, from early schooling to lifelong learning,' she added. Warnings on AI risks Ms. Bogdan-Martin warned of mounting dangers in deploying AI without sufficient public understanding or policy oversight. ' The biggest risk we face is not AI eliminating the human race. It is the race to embed AI everywhere, without sufficient understanding of what that means for people and our planet,' she said. Her remarks reflected a growing sense of urgency among policymakers and technologists, as new 'agentic AI' systems capable of autonomous reasoning and action emerge at unprecedented speed. With some experts predicting human-level AI within the next three years, concerns about safety, bias, energy consumption and regulatory capacity have intensified. Tech on display The summit's agenda reflects these tensions. Over 20,000 square meters of exhibit space at Geneva's Palexpo now hosts more than 200 demonstrations, including a flying car, a fish-inspired water quality monitor, brain-computer interfaces and AI-driven disaster response tools. Workshops throughout the week will tackle topics ranging from AI in healthcare and education to ethics, gender inclusion and global governance. One highlight will be the AI Governance Day on Thursday, where national regulators and international organizations will address the gap in global oversight. An ITU survey found that 85 per cent of countries lack an AI-specific policy or strategy, raising alarms about uneven development and growing digital divides. Focus on health Health is a prominent theme this year. On Wednesday, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) will lead a session titled 'Enabling AI for Health Innovation and Access,' bringing together technologists, regulators, clinicians and humanitarian leaders to address how AI can improve healthcare delivery – especially in low-resource settings. Real-world applications – from AI-powered triage in emergency care to diagnostic tools for rural clinics – will be spotlighted, alongside a preview of WHO's forthcoming Technical Brief on AI in Traditional Medicine, set for official launch on the main stage. Experts will also examine the challenges of interoperability, regulatory harmonisation and intellectual property rights at the intersection of AI and global health. The summit will also feature the AI for Good Awards, recognising groundbreaking projects that harness AI for public benefit, with categories spanning people, planet and prosperity. Launchpad for action The health track exemplifies the summit's core goal: ensuring AI serves the public good, especially in areas of greatest need. Youth-led robotics teams from underserved communities will present solutions for disaster recovery and waste management, while startups compete in the Innovation Factory to showcase AI tools for education and climate resilience. Live demonstrations include an autonomous orchard robot, a self-sanitising mobile toilet, and a drone-eDNA system for scalable biodiversity and pest monitoring. Closing her keynote, Ms. Bogdan-Martin reminded participants that the future of AI is a shared responsibility. ' Let's never stop putting AI at the service of all people and our planet,' she said.
Time of India
27-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
China to host WRC 2027; India, US fume
NEW DELHI: China will be hosting the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC)-2027 in Shanghai following a 'secret ballot' voting by as many as 43 countries on Thursday at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), dashing efforts from the United States and India. 'It has been decided that the next World Radiocommunication Conference will be held in China's Shanghai in October 2027, as per the majority of countries who voted in favour of the proposal,' an industry source told ETTelecom. The conference is crucial for the future radio frequency regulations for next-generation 6G technology and satellite-based connectivity worldwide. On June 13, the Secretary, Department of Commerce of the United States, Howard W Lutnick, in a letter to ITU General Secretary Doreen Bogdan-Martin challenged China's bid and proposed to host the top multinational regulatory event in Washington DC. 'From a historical perspective, there is no better place to host the WRC – 27; 2027 marks the centennial of the 1927 International Radiotelegraphy Conference hosted by the United States, Washington DC, where the first table of frequency allocations was approved. The table unlocked multitudes of new radio spectrum-based services, which have greatly contributed to economic prosperity and innovation around the world. We look to build on this for the next century,' Lutnick said in a letter. ETTelecom has seen a copy of the letter. The development comes following the withdrawal of the Republic of Rwanda from hosting the prestigious conference. The top US official further said that the United States stands 'ready and willing to step up to provide a free and open environment' to host the critical conference. The outcome has come at a time when President Donald Trump-headed US adopted an aggressive tariff strategy and entered a trade pact with China. India too did not want China to host world's top spectrum management symposium. The WRC-27 is expected to identify frequency bands such as 4400-4800 MHz, 7125-8400 MHz, and 14.8-15.35 GHz for the International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT), particularly for sixth generation (6G) technology, shaping the roadmap of 2030 and beyond. The countries that exercised secret voting include Algeria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Following the latest development, China, as a host country, will preside over the world's top forum and may employ 'soft influence' over the telecom and satellite communication (satcom) decisions globally. China's homegrown Huawei Technologies and ZTE —the two dominant telecom gear makers—may also have their say in shaping global spectrum policy matters. The conference is scheduled between October 18 and November 12, 2027.
Time of India
27-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
China to host WRC 2027; US, India fume
NEW DELHI: China will be hosting the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC)-2027 in Shanghai following a 'secret ballot' voting by as many as 43 countries on Thursday at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), dashing efforts from the United States and India. 'It has been decided that the next World Radiocommunication Conference will be held in China's Shanghai in October 2027, as per the majority of countries who voted in favour of the proposal,' an industry source told ETTelecom. The conference is crucial for the future radio frequency regulations for next-generation 6G technology and satellite-based connectivity worldwide. On June 13, the Secretary, Department of Commerce of the United States, Howard W Lutnick, in a letter to ITU General Secretary Doreen Bogdan-Martin challenged China's bid and proposed to host the top multinational regulatory event in Washington DC. 'From a historical perspective, there is no better place to host the WRC – 27; 2027 marks the centennial of the 1927 International Radiotelegraphy Conference hosted by the United States, Washington DC, where the first table of frequency allocations was approved. The table unlocked multitudes of new radio spectrum-based services, which have greatly contributed to economic prosperity and innovation around the world. We look to build on this for the next century,' Lutnick said in a letter. ETTelecom has seen a copy of the letter. The development comes following the withdrawal of the Republic of Rwanda from hosting the prestigious conference. The top US official further said that the United States stands 'ready and willing to step up to provide a free and open environment' to host the critical conference. The outcome has come at a time when President Donald Trump-headed US adopted an aggressive tariff strategy and entered a trade pact with China. India, represented by the Department of Telecommunications , on its part, made initial attempts and sought to host the mega regulatory event in New Delhi. ETTelecom's query to DoT did not elicit any response. The WRC-27 is expected to identify frequency bands such as 4400-4800 MHz, 7125-8400 MHz, and 14.8-15.35 GHz for the International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT), particularly for sixth generation (6G) technology, shaping the roadmap of 2030 and beyond. The countries that exercised secret voting include Algeria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Following the latest development, China, as a host country, will preside over the world's top forum and may employ 'soft influence' over the telecom and satellite communication (satcom) decisions globally. China's homegrown Huawei Technologies and ZTE —the two dominant telecom gear makers—may also have their say in shaping global spectrum policy matters. The conference is scheduled between October 18 and November 12, 2027.
