Professor Tran Dinh Thien, senior advisor to Vietnamese Prime Minister, will speak at the Club de Madrid-BGF Policy Lab, Plenary V: The United Nations Centennial Initiative: The Practice of Fundamental Rights in AI & Digital Societies
Below are some notes from his speech:
“The whole world in general and the United Nations in particular are moving towards a historic event: the UN Centennial Initiative – Building an Age of Global Enlightenment.
I don’t know if it is a “historical accident” or not: it is also the 100th anniversary of Vietnam’s Independence, entering a new era of development.
That means for Vietnam, 2045 will be a double milestone year. As a “friendly and companionable” people, the Vietnamese will strive to build their country into a civilized and prosperous nation, to invite the whole world to Vietnam in the position of moving forward side-by-side.
To end my “clumsy” speech, with many pronunciation errors, I would like to introduce to you one of Vietnam’s contributions to the United Nations Centennial initiative. That is to build NovaWorld Phan Thiet City into a leading healthcare and Wellness tourism destination, combined with AIWS City online digital city to become a typical city to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the United Nations.
Vietnam has many unique tourism resources, in which Phan Thiet of Binh Thuan province is a wonderful coastal tourist city. This place has held the position of “resort capital”, connecting with Nha Trang, Ninh Thuan, Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Lat to form an attractive tourist area at the highest level. This place is also a very suitable city for healthcare and Wellness tourism because of its mild climate, blue sea, white sand, golden sunshine and full facilities from luxury resorts like NovaWorld in Phan Thiet.
Nova World Phan Thiet and AIWS City will become a typical model, an ecosystem with the standards and ambitions that the United Nations Centennial Initiative is aiming for, with the companionship of the WLA-CdM.
Vietnam invites world leaders, ideologists, innovators to come to Phan Thiet, support the plan to build NovaWorld Phan Thiet, participate in contributing ideas for the contest “How to make Phan Thiet become the world’s leading destination for healthcare and Wellness tourism, in line with new trends after the Covid-19 pandemic. We are looking forward to receiving ideas and unique solutions to help Phan Thiet city develop, take the lead in building an ecosystem for a new economy, an economy for all creative citizens (Community Innovation Economy), deserving to be the typical city which pioneers and shines in the Age of Global Enlightenment, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the United Nations.
The United Nations Centennial initiative was launched by the Boston Global Forum (BGF) and the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) in 2019 as the United Nations planned to mark the 75th anniversary the following year. It brought into its fold some of the finest minds of our times as they sought to anticipate the world, and the United Nations, in 2045, the year of the world organization’s centennial. The core concepts of the initiative are reflected in the book “Remaking the World: Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment”; these include the idea of a social contract for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) age, a framework for an AI international accord, an ecosystem for the “AI World Society” (AIWS) and a community innovation economy. Some of these ideas have already begun to be put into practice, including a Global Alliance for Digital Governance and the evolution of an AIWS City being developed by NovaWorld in Phan Thiet, Viet Nam as a pilot project. AIWS City is a virtual digital city dedicated to promoting the values associated with AIWS. It looks to bring together a global enlightenment community of scholars, innovators, leaders, and citizens dedicated to fostering thought, creativity, and ethical behavior by combining AIWS City and NovaWorld Phan Thiet, fostering later flagship cities.
The United Nations came into being as a cerebral, as much as political, innovation, the very first resolution of its General Assembly, in the January of 1946, was on the “problems arising from the discovery of atomic energy.” 75 years later, in the January of 2021, Governor Michael Dukakis announced the “Artificial Intelligence International Accord Initiative” whose goal he described as “to stimulate a global conversation that will make sure AI is used responsibly by governments and the private sector around the world.” It is precisely conversations of that nature this volume, and Boston Global Forum Roundtables over the past months, have fostered, and which this discussion will take forward in the specific context of fundamental rights in a world which, over the next 25 years, will see a new shaping to the possibilities and the limitations on the use of artificial intelligence, shaping a world governed by international law and the exercise of international as much as individual and, indeed, intellectual, responsibility where the creativity and innovation of the human person work to shape a world worthy of our times just as surely as that world works to foster and further, in the phrase of the United Nations Charter, the “dignity and worth“ of that human person.
September 9, 15:00-16:05 CEST/9:00 AM – 10:05 AM EST
Plenary V: The United Nations Centennial Initiative: The Practice of Fundamental Rights in AI & Digital Societies
Facilitator:David Silbersweig, Chairman, Department of Psychiatry and Co-Director for Institute for the Neurosciences, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Professor
Lead speaker: Ramu Damodaran, Co-Chair of the United Nations Centennial Initiative
Panel discussion:
Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Member of Club de Madrid, President of Latvia (1999-2007)
Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of State and Digital Governance of Greece, Chair of the Global Strategy Group, OECD
Thomas Patterson, Research Director of The Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation, Professor of Government and the Press of Harvard Kennedy School
Sean Cleary, Advisor of Club de Madrid, Executive vice-chair of the FutureWorld Foundation, Member of the Carnegie Council’s Artificial Intelligence & Equality Initiative’s Board of Advisors
Tran Dinh Thien, Professor, Senior Advisor to Vietnamese Prime Minister
“Inclusive discussions and inclusive structures” are key to a truly global enlightenment, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to advance our world, said Cameron Kerry, Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution in an interview with the Boston Global Forum, ahead of next week’s meeting of the Club de Madrid. He cited areas including global health, climate change, economic progress and addressing inequality as among those where AI could help fashion a worldwide response.
Noting the importance of recording “use cases” of AI, Mr Kerry noted these would illustrate the possibilities of convergence between policy and regulatory frameworks in the area, helping to set standards and harmonizing the technical and ethical dimensions of its development. He looked forward to a report in this regard being developed by the Brookings Institution and the Center for European Policy Studies Forum on global cooperation in the field.
NovaWorld Phan Thiet have strategy to become top MICE in the world, building it to become a city of the Age of Global Enlightenment, applying Community Innovation Community and AIWS Ecosystem.
Novaworld Phan Thiet is a project in the making in the city of Phan Thiet, a fascinating destination for the adventurous locals and international tourists looking to explore everything from natural wonders and scenic views to outdoor adventures. Known as one of Vietnam’s most popular beach destinations, this coastal town has earned its reputation as an oasis in the Binh Thuan province.
Michael Dukakis Institute will help set up the International Jury Board for the Phan Thiet MICE Competition.
The awards are as below:
Contestant Award
01 Special Prize: 200,000 USD
01 First Prize: 100,000 USD
01 Second Prize: 50,000 USD
01 Award for Best Idea in Effective Communication and Promotion: 10,000 USD
01 Award for Best Idea in Creative Feasibility: 10,000 USD
01 Award for Best Idea in Sustainable Development: 10,000 USD
24 Encouragement Prizes: 1,000 USD (each)
Lucky Draw
2000 prizes, each prize per Timeshare interval: 7 day/6 night stay at NovaWorld Phan Thiet.
On September 7, US Congresswoman Robin Kelly will present the keynote speech “A human-centered digital, AI and Global Enlightenment Age” at the Policy Lab An International Accord – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment. This Policy Lab is co-organized by Boston Global Forum and Club de Madrid.
Opening Session
Danilo Türk, President of Club de Madrid, President of Slovenia (2007-2012)
Governor Michael Dukakis, Chairman of The Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation & Co-Founder of the Boston Global Forum
Keynote speech by US Congresswoman Robin Kelly, distinguished contributor to the book Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment.
To help Vietnam recover and develop economy after COVID-19 pandemic, Michael Dukakis Institute has contributed to the Vietnam Spark Plan, which encourages Vietnam to apply the Community Innovation Economy and AIWS Ecosystem.
The Vietnam Spark will coordinate resources of Vietnam, connect with US and Europe to create higher values and innovation.
Vietnam has more than 3000 kilometers of coastline, with potential cities to to become hubs in the Age of Global Enlightenment with the community innovation economy.
Distinguished thinkers and innovators of AIWS Innovation Network (AIWS.net) at AIWS City will help to build a plan for recovery and development.
The Vietnam Spark Board includes:
Governor Michael Dukakis, Chair of Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation (MDI)
Nguyễn Anh Tuấn, Co-founder and Director of MDI, Editor of the Book “Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment
Thomas Patterson, Harvard Professor, Board Member of MDI, Distinguished Contributor of the Book “Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment
David Silbersweig, Harvard Professor, Board Member of MDI
Nazli Choucri, MIT Professor, Board Member of MDI, Distinguished Contributor of the Book “Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment
Alex Sandy Pentland, MIT Professor, Distinguished Contributor of the Book “Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment
John Quelch, Professor Harvard Business School, Dean of Miami Herbert Business School, Co-founder of Boston Global Forum
Cameron Kerry, Acting Secretary of Commerce
Ramu Damodaran, Co-Chair of the United Nations Centennial Initiative
The opportunities and risks of Artificial Intelligence (AI) seem limitless. While some believe that many of the most challenging problems of this world can be solved through or with the help of AI, other, such as Bill Gates, consider this technology also a risk alike to atomic power and atomic weapons.
There are a number of reasons why AI poses a global risk: First, AI is analysing data through Algorithms, which are supposed to learn, and thus improve their performance, beyond capabilities of humans. While today such performance of AI beyond capabilities of humans is normally limited to very specific tasks, there is a trend to the broadening of these tasks. It cannot be excluded anymore that a general AI is being developed, which surpasses all aspects of human intelligence and eventually thus could dominate humankind in all respects. The problem of control of AI in order to ensure that humans do not become objects of machine control and the ability of states to govern is not undermined has already been amply described in science. It is clear that technology alone cannot deliver such control to a sufficient extent.
Second, much of Artificial Intelligence is and will be delivered and deployed via the Internet, across the borders of this world. It is thus a technology crossing borders in the virtual space without effective controls.
Third, AI is a technology, which is being developed by global corporations and states for various purposes and not limited to a sector. It is a multi-purpose technology, which has potential to scale globally in most areas of our lives, ranging from education and health via the production and delivery of media content and opinions, important for democracy, right through to the management of all essential infrastructures and military purposes. It is the sensitivity of the multiple contexts within which AI is deployed which requires to give its good functioning and governance highest attention. It is also clear that those who control the functioning of AI in sensitive sectors will command greatest power in this world.
Fourth, AI can be embedded in autonomous machines, which may cross borders in trade, crime or military operations, thus combining classical physical safety and security risks with the new risks of AI.
It is important to consider this cross border, global and multipurpose nature of AI in any attempt to assess risks and opportunities of AI. The world has become a community of risk, not only relating to COVID, but also relating to AI. And the scarcest resources is not the one next great idea in terms of a technological solution to a major global challenge, but the scarcest resource relating to AI is the ability to agree, both within states and among states, on how to govern this new powerful and globally scaled multipurpose technology to the benefit of states and mankind.
It is before this background that we are discussing how to give an impetus to the international community and the United Nations to start work on a global multilateral agreement on the governance of AI.
Paul Nemitz, Distinguished Contributor to the book Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment, will be the lead speaker of Plenary I at the Club de Madrid – BGF Policy lab, September 7, 2021.
Nobuo Kishi, Japanese Minister of Defense, will be the lead speaker at the Plenary Regional perspectives, models for the governance of AI and digital societies.
Time: 9:00 AM EST; September 7, 2021
Plenary II: Regional perspectives, models for the governance of AI and digital societies
Facilitator: Ramu Damodaran, Co-Chair of the United Nations Centennial Initiative
Lead speaker:
Nobuo Kishi, Minister of Defense of Japan
Panel discussion
Kevin Rudd, Member of Club de Madrid, Prime Minister of Australia (2007-2010, 2013),
Iveta Radičová, Member of Club de Madrid, Prime Minister of Slovakia (2010-2012)
Irene Braam, Executive Director, Bertelsmann Foundation North America
Nanjira Sambuli, Fellow in the Technology and International Affairs Program at The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
David Bray, Director, GeoTech Center and GeoTech Commission, Atlantic Council
On September 9, 2021, at Club de Madrid – Boston Global Forum Policy Lab, AIWS City (AIWS.city) will officially launch to operate and provide service in its first phase, which includes AIWS University and AIWS Innovations.
AIWS University will bring key programs: AIWS Leadership Master Program, Global Enlightenment Program, and Leaders in the Age of Global Enlightenment. With professors of Harvard, MIT, and other distinguished leaders, AIWS University would to bring flagship ideas, programs with concepts of lifelong learning, learning by practice with smart information, and knowledge base. Students will practice at the United Nations Centennial Initiative and AIWS City.
AIWS Innovations will support and build an ecosystem of AIWS Values, Community Innovation Economy, and People Centered Economy Concepts. AIWS Innovations will apply AIWS Rewards.
Together with the Board of Leaders of AIWS City, which include distinguished leaders, thinkers, innovations, are Global Enlightenment Community. Members of AIWS City will have an ecosystem of learning, working, innovation with Global Enlightenment Community.
Core members of the Global Enlightenment Community are Distinguished Contributors to the book Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment, and people that contribute towards its concept.
