The United Nations' digital technology agency, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), launched a new initiative on Thursday aimed at improving trust in artificial intelligence agents. These increasingly autonomous AI systems are designed to act independently on behalf of users, handling tasks such as scheduling, purchasing, and complex business processes. While they can enhance productivity, the ITU warned that they also pose significant risks, including impersonating individuals and making unauthorized decisions.
Focus Group to Develop Frameworks
At the AI for Good Summit in Geneva, the ITU announced the establishment of a Focus Group to address these concerns. The group will develop frameworks to ensure AI agents remain identifiable, trustworthy, and subject to meaningful human oversight, particularly in sensitive areas like financial transactions and critical infrastructure. The Focus Group will comprise technical, policy, and legal experts.
International Collaboration Needed
"AI agents will soon negotiate, transact and make decisions on our behalf," said Debora Comparin, Co-Chair of the Focus Group. She emphasized the need for common international foundations to establish who the agents are and how and when they can be trusted. The group will hold its first meeting in Paris in November and its second in Geneva in January.
