In the words of Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez: “Global challenges need global solutions”

As Head of Delegation of the European Union (EU) to the Republic of Korea, Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez has played a key role in advancing EU-Korea digital cooperation and promoting ethical and inclusive approaches to global technology governance. She recently spoke at the UN Women Academic Conference on the Intersection of AI and Gender: Critical Exploration of Gender Bias and Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence, co-organized by the UN Women Knowledge & Partnerships Centre and Ewha Womans University, with support from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family of the Republic of Korea. She highlights the need for urgent, ethical and gender-responsive global governance of artificial intelligence (AI).

Artificial Intelligence has made a quantum leap, from a technology mastered and understood by very few, to a tool used by the broad masses across the globe. It is now omnipresent in our daily discussions and exchanges.

But as a human-made technology, AI is also prone to built-in bias and discrimination. We have seen cases where individuals or groups, often women, have been the target or victim of AI-generated content. Sometimes biases are built into algorithms coincidentally, due to poor design, but often AI is used intentionally and maliciously as a tool. No matter the reasons, the consequences are extremely harmful for individuals as well as for society.

The EU has been at the forefront of embracing AI technology as an innovative force, while at the same time not losing sight of potential risks. With the European AI Act – the first comprehensive AI legislation in the world – we have created a legal framework to ensure that AI developed and used in the EU is trustworthy, with safeguards to protect people’s fundamental rights.

The AI Act takes a risk-based approach, which means the bulk of AI applications that cause no (or minimal) risks face no obligations under the Act due to their limited risk to citizens’ rights and safety. High-risk applications, however, must comply with strict requirements.

The EU AI Act provides a unique road map for ethical and responsible AI use. AI developers and deployers have to make sure to comply with rigorous safety and documentation standards to mitigate possible risks, including gender bias and discrimination.

The European AI Act certainly does not have an answer to all the complex questions around the development and use of AI, but it is a starting point to structure the intellectual debate, both domestically and internationally. And AI needs global governance.

Our international cooperation is focused on promoting human-centric AI. We engage with our partners on regulatory and ethical matters to promote the responsible development of trustworthy AI at global level. We are glad to see that Korea has taken the step of enacting its own far-reaching comprehensive AI legislation, which does not differ significantly from the approach taken in the EU.

The discussion of our respective governance is also a core element of our Digital Partnership with Korea, that allows us since 2022 to engage in depth on AI and many other digital topics. Ultimately, our aim is to: develop responsible leadership in global discussions around AI; create the conditions for the uptake of policies and good practices and standards that ensure an appropriate ethical and legal framework on AI; and improve public awareness of the challenges and opportunities associated with AI.

And this is why the work of the UN Women Knowledge and Partnerships Centre is so vitally important. Not only does it bring together knowledge and expertise, it also addresses these problems beyond borders and jurisdictions. Global challenges need global solutions.”