World Summit on Artificial Intelligence for the Common Good
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is organizing the World Summit on Artificial Intelligence for the Common Good in the Swiss city of Geneva on Thursday and Friday, in which not only humans but also robots will participate.
The Summit
5,000 people are expected at the summit, including 8 social bots and more than 20 professional bots, all under one roof for the first time. According to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, the robots will display capabilities ranging from firefighting and delivering aid to delivering healthcare and agriculture in sustainable way.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals
The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, set in 2015, aim to improve the lives of people and the planet by 2030, but are now widely seen as a long way off.
The Bots
Among the bots present at the event are those with caregiver skills, such as Nadine, a social bot that mimics emotions and remembers people—skills he’s already used with hospices or retirees. Also attending is Sophia, the first robotics innovation ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme.
The Robotics Press Conference
The two-day event features a panel of robots dedicated to answering questions from reporters at the world’s first robotics press conference on Friday.
AI and UN Agencies
United Nations agencies are already using artificial intelligence, such as the World Food Program’s HungerMap project, which collects data to identify areas sliding towards hunger. It is also developing remote-controlled trucks to provide emergency aid in dangerous areas.