The AI for Good conference organized by the United Nations (UN) through the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has once again become a stage for dialogue between the public and private sectors. Entering its tenth year, this gathering attempts to navigate the crucial role of artificial intelligence (AI) in resolving global crises, such as hunger and climate change. However, behind this idealistic ambition, a fundamental challenge emerges regarding the lack of global consensus on the parameters of "good" in technological development.
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin emphasized that AI's potential can only be optimized if it is used responsibly. Nevertheless, skepticism continues to surface on the convention floor. Sharp criticism was voiced by humanitarian practitioners warning public organizations against becoming overly reliant on major tech corporations. This dependence is seen as risking the erosion of transparency and widening the digital divide, especially if ethical standards are viewed merely as a formality on paper.
The issue does not stop at ethics, but also extends to infrastructure access. Experts highlighted that the dominance of English-based large language models (LLMs) concentrated along the US-China-Europe axis risks marginalizing developing nations. Syed Munir Khasru from the Institute for Policy, Advocacy, and Governance emphasized that AI should be viewed as an infrastructure development tool for everyone, rather than just an exclusive commodity for a handful of corporations.
In an effort to bridge the gap between policy and technical implementation, calls have emerged to create "middleware"—a connecting layer capable of translating human rights principles into code and verifiable technical standards. This step is seen as urgent so that AI impact assessments do not become mere "governance theater" without concrete action.
As a strategic move, the UN has established a special commission involving cross-sector leaders, including representatives from government and industry. Nevertheless, ground reality shows that the pace of robotics and algorithm innovation far outstrips humanity's ability to formulate regulatory frameworks. The summit serves as a reminder that behind the display of advanced technology, the main urgency is to place human values as the primary foundation above the speed of development itself.
