Peace panel: Can AI make the world more secure?
Following last year's success, being the most-watched panel during the 2023 event, Globethics was selected to host a panel at Geneva Peace Week 2024. The panel, co-organised with The Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence (IEAI) at Technical University of Munich (TUM), and entitled Peace in the Fourth Revolution: Unleashing the AI Political Potential, took place at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) on Thursday 17 October 2024.
The panel attracted over 50 participants in the room, with more joining online, sparking a vital discussion on the role of artificial intelligence in promoting global security. As Generative AI continues to evolve, it holds vast potential to predict conflicts, monitor human rights violations in real-time, and ensure fair distribution of resources. "AI has the potential to be a sentinel of peace," said Muhammadou M.O. Kah in his panel address. However, he and the other panelists also emphasised that while AI offers promise, it remains a tool that must be wielded responsibly.
The panel featured contributions from prominent voices including Amb. Prof. Muhammadou M.O. Kah, Ambassador of The Gambia to Switzerland and the Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva, WTO, and other international organisations; Qian Xiao, Vice Dean of the Institute for AI International Governance (I-AIIG) and Deputy Director of the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University; Alexander Kriebitz, a political scientist and a researcher at the Technical University of Munich; Amanda Horzyk, an early-career researcher in AI Law and Regulation, Innovation, Technology and the Law, and Alberto Santos Ferro, a philosopher and ethicist working in the field of organisational development and integrity. The panel was moderated by Fadi Daou, Globethics Executive Director.
They highlighted the need for robust ethical guidelines, transparency, and oversight throughout the AI development process - from research and innovation to educating citizens on its use. Ensuring inclusive AI practices was a key theme, with the goal of guaranteeing that AI benefits all citizens, particularly in political processes. Questions were raised about AI’s ability to enhance political participation, anticipate emerging challenges, and better understand the needs of society.
Concerns were also voiced, particularly about the risks AI poses, such as election manipulation through deepfakes, especially relevant as the 2024 U.S. elections approach. The panelists stressed the importance of AI literacy, urging citizens to be equipped with the skills to engage with AI-generated content critically. Drawing on insights from the US and China, speakers called for multi-stakeholder collaboration and global frameworks like the EU AI Act to ensure accountability and transparency.
One key takeaway was clear: while AI’s military potential is well understood, its political potential is still unfolding, and navigating this will require careful, ethical stewardship. As the conversation around AI continues to develop, it’s clear that thoughtful, ethical frameworks will be crucial in ensuring its positive impact on global security and governance.
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