His Excellency Omran Sharaf Participates at At a UNSC Arria-formula meeting on the impact of AI on hate speech, disinformation, and misinformation

At a UN Security Council Arria-formula meeting on the impact of AI on hate speech, disinformation, and misinformation jointly organized by the UAE- and Albania, His Excellency Omran Sharaf, Assistant Foreign Minister of Advanced Sciences and Technology, outlined the UAE’s priorities in pursuing a global framework for AI governance. HE underlined the necessity of respecting differences to enable AI to develop in the proper national or regional context and to avoid economic gaps between developed and developing economies.

The Arria-formula meeting aimed to address the threat posed by AI in spreading hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation within the context of upholding international peace and security. The meeting further explored strategies to counter these issues, foster international cooperation and develop safeguards and self-regulation, including through public-private partnerships. Throughout the meeting, the Council received briefings from Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications; Rahaf Harfoush, digital anthropologist and member of the Secretary-General’s AI Advisory Board; and Jennifer Woodard, co-founder of Insikt Intelligence.

HE Omran Sharaf highlighted the potential benefits of AI for technological advances and sustainable development; the prospects for an effective international framework addressing AI-related concerns; and the significance of inclusive international policies, knowledge transfer, and technological capacity building in addressing AI governance challenges.  

"In order to guide AI towards making ethical decisions that promote inclusivity, tolerance, and prosperity, rather than the opposite, we must be well-educated on how to work with it. We must work to manage how and what AI learns, rather than merely managing the outcomes and repercussions," HE emphasised.

HE also stressed the importance of avoiding further global polarisation as we work to develop an international framework for AI governance. “We must preserve areas of cooperation, exchange knowledge, draw best practices and ensure that regulation addresses the possible misuse of these technologies,” he stated.

“Today’s discussion will help inform not only the Security Council but the wider international community regarding the benefits and risks associated with AI and the steps we can take to manage relevant challenges,” he added.

The UAE is in the final month of its two-year term as an elected member of the UN Security Council. Throughout its term, the UAE has elevated the application of innovation and technology within the context of international peace and security.