Minh Nguyen is the Editor of the Boston Global Forum and a Shinzo Abe Initiative Fellow. She writes the Four Pillars column in the BGF Weekly newsletter.
In the war in Gaza, IDF ground operations continue with the goal of encircling Gaza City, and eventually attempting to flush out Hamas from the tunnel networks. IDF leaders still have stated that the war is likely to last months or even years.
For the US part, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been traveling to the Middle East in an effort to shore up peacemaking efforts in the aftermath of the war, visiting Israel, Jordan, Palestine (West Bank), Turkey. He will also travel to Asia, namely South Korea and India, a Pillar, after the Middle East.
The US has also assessed that Iranian proxies in the region would not be likely to join in Hamas’ war, or open the second front. This can be seen with the ambivalent speech by Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, on November 3. However, groups like the Houthis in Yemen had declared war, but it seems their effects are negligible. The US continues to explore potential peacekeeping operations and forces in the prospect of the war’s end.
In the Pacific, Japan, a Pillar, has signed a deal to give the Philippines coastal radar and begin negotiations on a security pact. This shows the deepening ties to counter China’s rise and bullying of states in the Asia-Pacific, especially in regards to the South China Sea.
Italy’s regrets with the Belt and Road Initiative continues, which was described as “broken promises.” Italy has notably said that it wanted to leave the BRI during the G20 conference earlier this year. The EU (and Italy in it) has been backing the Indian alternative to it instead, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). This may allow India, a Pillar, to increase ties with the EU, another Pillar, while reducing Chinese influence on the continent as well.
At Harvard University’s Loeb House on November 2, 2023, distinguished guests attended to celebrate the 90th birthday of former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis. The event featured a series of momentous occasions, including the inauguration of AIWS City, the launch of the Liber Amicorum Book titled “Governor Michael Dukakis: From the Massachusetts Miracle to AIWS – the Age of Global Enlightenment,” and the delivery of a remarkable Distinguished Global Enlightenment Lecture by Amma, the recipient of the 2023 World Leader for Peace and Security Award.
The celebration was highlighted by prominent figures such as Governor Maura Healey, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin, Japanese Minister Sanae Takaichi, and many other respected individuals. The occasion was marked with heartwarming remarks, citation, and speeches, paying tribute to Governor Dukakis’s incredible contributions to the state and the world.
Furthermore, the event served as a platform for the announcement of two pivotal initiatives. The first, in collaboration with the Active Inference Institute, seeks to “Advance Human-Centered AI through Integration with Natural Systems and Neuroscience: Toward Policy and Societal Well-Being.” This initiative aims to explore the intersection of AI, natural systems, and neuroscience to enhance the well-being of society through advanced policy-making.
The second initiative, in partnership with Amrita University in India, introduces the “World’s Congress of Religions in AI Responsibility: Faith and Reason in the AI age.” This program will focus on the role of faith, compassion and ethical responsibility in the age of AI, bringing together leaders, thinkers, and policymakers to explore the ethical development and deployment of artificial intelligence.
Additionally, an important Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was announced between Boston Global Forum and Amrita University. This MOU signifies a collaborative effort to develop and deploy the AI World Society (AIWS) Initiative, further strengthening the commitment to advancing human-centered AI and the global enlightenment of society.
The event was not only a celebration of Governor Dukakis’s remarkable life but also a testament to the commitment of these leaders in driving forward initiatives that shape the future of AI, ethics, and global enlightenment.
Governor Dukakis’s 90th Birthday Celebration: Remarks of Senator Elizabeth Warren
“Good evening, Boston Global Forum. I am so sorry that I can’t be there with you in person, but I would not miss the opportunity to congratulate our good friend Governor Michael Dukakis, and wish him a very happy 90th birthday.
You know, throughout his decades-long career, Governor Dukakis has shown that he is a committed public servant, a tireless leader, and a strong voice for Massachusetts families. When he was first elected as governor back in 1974, he faced some of our Commonwealth’s toughest battles – up against a record deficit and high unemployment. Governor Dukakis took on these challenges with passion and persistence, and his leadership made a key difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands, millions of people across Massachusetts.
After retiring from politics, Michael brought that same passion and expertise to the classroom, teaching at UCLA, the University of Hawaii, and at our own Northeastern University. Now, when I first decided to run for the United States Senate back in 2012, Michael sat down with me and he told me the right way to run a campaign. He said, ‘Run a grassroots campaign, grounded in people, based in the neighborhoods, in the cities, in the towns all across our state.’ I listened. In fact, that is exactly what I did. I have been lucky enough to count on Michael’s support since that very first campaign, and it’s made a world of difference.
So, let me say this personally, Michael, thank you again for the work you do day in and day out to benefit families all across Massachusetts and all around the world. Congratulations on this tremendous honor, and I hope you have a very happy 90th birthday.”
The executive order directs the Department of Commerce to develop guidance for labeling AI-generated content. Federal agencies will be required to use AI watermarking – technology that marks content as AI-generated to reduce fraud and misinformation – though it’s not required for the private sector.
The executive order also recognizes that AI systems can pose unacceptable risks of harm to civil and human rights and the well-being of individuals: “Artificial Intelligence systems deployed irresponsibly have reproduced and intensified existing inequities, caused new types of harmful discrimination, and exacerbated online and physical harms.”
What the executive order doesn’t do
A key challenge for AI regulation is the absence of comprehensive federal data protection and privacy legislation. The executive order only calls on Congress to adopt privacy legislation, but it does not provide a legislative framework. It remains to be seen how the courts will interpret the executive order’s directives in light of existing consumer privacy and data rights statutes.
Without strong data privacy laws in the U.S. as other countries have, the executive order could have minimal effect on getting AI companies to boost data privacy. In general, it’s difficult to measure the impact that decision-making AI systems have on data privacy and freedoms.
It’s also worth noting that algorithmic transparency is not a panacea. For example, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation legislation mandates “meaningful information about the logic involved” in automated decisions. This suggests a right to an explanation of the criteria that algorithms use in their decision-making. The mandate treats the process of algorithmic decision-making as something akin to a recipe book, meaning it assumes that if people understand how algorithmic decision-making works, they can understand how the system affects them. But knowing how an AI system works doesn’t necessarily tell you why it made a particular decision.
With algorithmic decision-making becoming pervasive, the White House executive order and the international summit on AI safety highlight that lawmakers are beginning to understand the importance of AI regulation, even if comprehensive legislation is lacking.
During Governor Dukakis’s 90th Birthday Celebration held on November 2, 2023, at Harvard University Loeb House, Governor Dukakis delivered remarks on World Peace and Security:
“Dear honored guests,
Thank you for gathering today to commemorate my 90th birthday and discuss issues of global importance.
We have a responsibility to ensure the well-being of our world and the generations that will follow us. If there is a single theme that defines the challenge, it is the persistent need for peace and security. The world is in turmoil – a state of affairs that cannot be allowed to persist.
A pressing issue is the conflict in Ukraine. We must advocate for peace and call for Russia’s withdrawal from Ukrainian territory. We have a moral obligation to demand adherence to every nation’s right to sovereignty and self-determination – it’s the foundation of the international order.
The situation in Gaza likewise calls for a fair resolution to the conflict, one where peace and justice prevail for all people in the region and where dialogue and cooperation replace threats and violence as the instruments of policy.
For too long, many nations have suffered from prolonged conflict and instability. It is past time to invest in people’s education and disinvest in the weapons of war. Education alone is not sufficient but, without it, people of every nation, background, and faith will not have the secure lives they so justly deserve.
In closing, I want to say that the Boston Global Forum has no higher purpose than to do what it can to foster a world where the aspiration for peace becomes a global reality.
Thank you again for helping me celebrate my 90th and for all that you do, and have yet to do, to enhance international peace and security.”
Governor Michael Dukakis delivering his remarks at the event
During Governor Dukakis’s 90th Birthday Celebration held on November 2, 2023, at Harvard University Loeb House, Senator Ed Markey delivered his remarks through video:
“Good evening, everyone. What a tremendous honor it is to be celebrating the birthday of the man, the legend, my friend Michael Dukakis. And to Kitty, the indomitable Kitty, we know Mike would not be Mike without you, Kitty.
When Michael Dukakis became governor in 1974, we had been waiting for him. He was our generation’s leader, our conscience. He wasn’t just a thinker; he was a doer. As a state representative in 1974, I saw firsthand what he has done for Massachusetts and the entire country. It’s immeasurable because you can’t spell ‘Dukakis’ without ‘do.’ And he is still a doer, through the Dukakis Center, his work increasing access to transportation options and his tenacity in making the north-south Rail Link a reality for the region. We’ll get it done, Michael.
He’s a model for the transportation systems he advocates for. He doesn’t slow down. I know this firsthand from all of the work I’ve done with Mike and Kitty over the years.
During my 2013 Senate race, we had a moment in Lowell where Kitty and Michael were speaking to Cambodians through a translator. He talked about the need for democracy, and access to opportunity for everyone, especially immigrants. He told the story of how his own father immigrated to Lowell from Greece to become a doctor. He was able to raise a child who could become governor of Massachusetts and have a child who could be running for the presidency of the United States. The Cambodian people in that room were all nodding their heads, hoping that the American dream could be part of their family’s history as well.
And here’s what I know from that interaction: the Greeks may have invented democracy, but Mike Dukakis invented grassroots politics in Massachusetts. There’s an ancient Greek term called Agape, which means giving yourself the ability to respond to human suffering. That’s what Michael Dukakis has done every day of his career and his life. He has given immeasurably to the cities and towns of Massachusetts, to the people of Massachusetts and our country, and to our very democracy. He reminds us that the potential of our state, our nation, and our democracy rests on our ability to harness the potential of our people. And that is a commitment that Michael Dukakis has delivered on every day of his 90 years.
In many ways, everyone here knows one thing: that Michael Dukakis just may be the organizing principle of all of our lives. That’s how powerful of an influence he’s had upon all of us and upon this world that we live in.
So, happy birthday, Michael. Have a wonderful time; you deserve it. But I know one thing, you’re all not slowing down, and you never will.”
