by Editor | May 13, 2024 | Event Updates, News
At the BGF Conference “Governing the Future: AI, Democracy, and Humanity,” hosted at Harvard University Loeb House on April 30, 2024, Dr. Alondra Nelson was honored with the World Leader in AIWS 2024 Award, and the “Knowledge Platform for AI” was introduced and discussed publicly for the first time. Below is a photo collection from the event:
BGF CEO Nguyen Anh Tuan
Governor Michael Dukakis
Ami Fields-Meyer, former Senior Policy Advisor at the White House
World Leader in AIWS Alondra Nelson
MIT Scholar Robert Mahari
MIT Professor Alex Pentland
MIT Professor Nazli Choucri
MIT Professor Lily Tsai
David Hall, TAMP’s CEO and AKT Health’s Managing Director
Harvard Professor David Silbersweig
Partner of EY, Harvard and MIT Scholar Jeff Saviano
Harvard Professor Thomas Patterson
by Editor | May 13, 2024 | Global Alliance for Digital Governance
Boston Global Forum is proud to announce the appointment of Jeffrey N. Saviano as the Director of AIWS Ethics. Jeffrey brings a wealth of experience to this role as a Partner at EY, a Scholar at the Harvard Center for Ethics, and a Fellow of MIT Connection Science. As a member of the board, Jeff will oversee the ethical considerations within the AIWS framework, ensuring that AI technologies are developed and implemented in a manner consistent with ethical principles and human values.
Jeff Saviano presented on AI ethics at the BGF Conference “Governing the Future: AI, Democracy, and Humanity,” at Harvard University Loeb House on April 30, 2024, contributing to the ongoing dialogue. His presentation, “Ethics for the Knowledge Platform for AI,” emphasized the importance of ethical guidelines and standards in the development and utilization of AI technologies. He highlighted how the Knowledge Platform will use these human ethical principles to create a database of humanity’s knowledge.
by Editor | May 13, 2024 | News
Over the past week of May 6-12, representatives of the Boston Global Forum met with leaders of prominent think tanks in Washington DC, including the Wilson Center and the Georgetown Institute for Women Peace and Security (GIWPS). Topics of these meetings vary between peace, security, AI governance, women’s role in the AI age, and the establishment of new democracy with AI.
Through initiatives such as the Shinzo Abe Initiative for Peace and Security and AI World Society, the BGF seeks to collaborate with civil society and think tanks to address global challenges, both technological and geopolitical, cooperating via roundtables and conferences. The proposed roundtables will serve as platforms for in-depth discussions and brainstorming of solutions, bringing together leaders from Japan, Europe, India, and the United States, the Four Pillars. These discussions will facilitate meaningful dialogues on key topics and foster international cooperation between the Pillars in addressing challenges to the rules-based order.
The outcome of these Roundtables will be a set of recommendations and solutions for the significant issues discussed, providing actionable insights to guide world leaders and society in addressing global challenges and advancing peace, security, and ethical AI governance.
Ambassador Melanne Verveer, executive director of GIWPS, and BGF Chief Editor Minh Nguyen
by Editor | May 13, 2024 | News
2024 World Leader in AIWS Award Alondra Nelson wrote about the ceremony to celebrate the spectacular tenure of Ami Fields-Meyer, her former Chief of Staff during her time at the Office of Science and Technology Policy and a speaker at the BGF Conference “Governing the Future: AI, Democracy, and Humanity” at Harvard University Loeb House, April 30, 2024.
Dr. Nelson wrote:
It was sheer joy to return to the White House this week to celebrate the spectacular tenure of Ami Fields-Meyer at the Office of the Vice President of the United States and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. As I said on Tuesday, one of my fondest (and recurring) memories of Ami is his being in his office late at night after most others had left. Whenever I thought I was the only one remaining on the 4th floor of the EEOB, there was Ami, outlasting me for a few minutes or hours. Ike Irby, PhD, Deputy Domestic Policy Advisor to Vice President Harris, spoke powerfully and eloquently about how the *impact* of this hard work and these late nights would be manifest in US and international AI governance.
Ami came to science and technology policy after working on some of the thorniest domestic policy issues we face, including the COVID-19 pandemic, generational poverty, and homelessness in New York City and Los Angeles. Through this work, he came to appreciate that equitable science and technology policy are domestic policy, economic justice policy, health equity policy, and housing policy and more; they sit at the center of our greatest current and future challenges, and of some of the possible solutions to them. His long hours were a reflection of the sense of urgency he felt for the work at hand and a recognition of the small window of time we’d been granted by the American public to make a material improvement in their lives. I like to think this was why Ami was so frequently in the office late into the night (but I know it was also because he could be bribed with dinner from the Navy Mess 😂).
When we faced difficult policy issues and decision points, Ami and I would trade gems of wisdom from our parents with our colleagues: “Rabbi Shawn would say…” “Delores would want us to pray on it” “My dad has this saying from New Orleans…” “Tom would write it this way…” Our families were always, always with us. So it was extra special that Ami’s dad, Tom Fields-Meyer, joined us in cheering him on.
Bravo, Ami–thank you for your service! And, onward!
Please watch Ami Fields-Meyer’s presentation at the BGF Conference on YouTube.
Alondra Nelson and Ami Fields-Meyer at the BGF Conference
by Editor | May 6, 2024 | News, World Leaders in AIWS Award Updates
The BGF honored Dr. Alondra Nelson with the 2024 World Leader in AIWS Award for her leadership in AI governance and policymaking at the conference “Governing the Future: AI, Democracy, and Humanity” on April 30, 2024. Governor Michael Dukakis, Chair of Boston Global Forum, and Nguyen Anh Tuan, Co-chair and CEO of Boston Global Forum, presented her with the award in the ceremony.
Afterwards, Dr. Nelson delivered an AIWS Distinguished Speech titled “Governing the Future: AI, Public Policy, and Democracy.” Her speech delved into the vision of AI governance with emphasis on democratic participation and policy innovation – so that democratic principles are upheld during the paradigm shift, but technology and the sciences can thrive too. She emphasized:
- The benefits of AI are not inevitable; they are not inherent properties of the technology. Rather, any potential beneficial uses of AI tools and systems must be stewarded through innovative AI governance including regulations, laws, standards, and norms. This is how we govern the future.
- Perhaps counterintuitively, the November 2022 release of ChatGPT was the opening of a democratic opportunity. This was the moment when the public took notice of the perils and possibilities of the growing uses of AI in their lives and, in some powerful instances, such as the SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes, successfully advocated to place guardrails around its use.
Dr. Nelson not only shed light on the challenges and opportunities presented by AI but also inspired attendees to actively engage in shaping the future of AI governance and guide it toward ethical progress for all. Her insights call on both civil society and government to ensure the possibilities AI holds will lead to outcomes beneficial for the public good. It is not a false dilemma of pursuing efficiency versus ensuring equity; and a long-term vision of state-level policymaking and stewardship can help guide AI development toward an ethical and prosperous society.
In addition to her distinguished speech, BGF and its Chief Editor Minh Nguyen had the opportunity to interview Dr. Nelson about her work in AI policymaking and her thoughts on geopolitical trends and areas for cooperation and competition in technology. BGF will publish a special document on the 2024 World Leader in AIWS Award and Conference based on the AIWS Distinguished Speech, interview, and notes from the talks of Ami Fields-Meyer, former Senior Policy Advisor to the White House; MIT professors Alex Sandy Pentland and Nazli Choucri, and BGF CEO Tuan Nguyen.
by Editor | May 6, 2024 | Global Alliance for Digital Governance
Ami Fields-Meyer, former Senior Policy Advisor at The White House and the Chief of Staff of Dr. Alondra Nelson during her time leading the Office of Science and Technology Policy, gave an insightful presentation on AI and democratic governance at the BGF Conference “Governing the Future: AI, Democracy, and Humanity.” Focused on “Resilient Democracy in the Age of AI,” he discussed several key ideas that shed light on tensions between AI and current conceptions of democratic governance.
AI = Power: Fields-Meyer emphasized the transformative power of AI, highlighting its potential to reshape societal structures and dynamics, for good or ill. He underscored the notion that AI is not merely a tool but a form of power that can significantly influence various aspects of human life, including political processes.
Algorithmic Discrimination: One of the key concerns raised by Fields-Meyer was the issue of algorithmic discrimination. He delved into how AI systems, if not carefully designed and monitored, can perpetuate biases and discrimination, exacerbating societal inequalities. This topic drew attention to the ethical implications of AI deployment and the need for robust safeguards against discriminatory practices.
Incentives in Conflict: Fields-Meyer explored the inherent conflict between incentives driving AI development and the principles of democracy. He discussed how profit motives and technological advancement can sometimes be at odds with democratic values such as transparency, accountability, and fairness. This conflict highlighted the complexities of navigating AI governance within democratic frameworks.
AI as a Popular Political Issue: Lastly, Fields-Meyer touched upon the prominence of AI in contemporary public discourse. He observed how AI-related topics, including data privacy, surveillance, and automation, have become central themes in political debates worldwide. In fact, this broader societal recognition of AI demonstrates the urgency for AI governance. While these AI systems may be new, it is still within the willpower of society and government to steer its development toward a future that is ethical and fair for all.
by Editor | May 6, 2024 | News
This is a republication of Horizon Search’s article on LinkedIn.
Horizon Search
Exploring global insights in entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership.
Published Apr 30, 2024
Generative AI isn’t a threat, but a powerful tool for human-AI collaboration. Boston Global Forum advocates for responsible AI development to unlock its potential for innovation across industries while ensuring ethical practices and human oversight.
Artificial Intelligence is changing the world at a neck-breaking speed. From Washington Street to Silicon Valley, the inception of ChatGPT in late 2022, stirred roundtable discussions centered around the implications of this technology across major institutions. The technology landscape has been brimming with countless AI innovations in the last two and a half years. From easy plagiarism to writing code, the media in 2022 scrutinized tasks a chatbot could perform in a couple of minutes. But now with rapid advancements in technology, the chatter has given way to grave questions related to ethical AI use:
● Will generative AI replace my job and leave me unemployed?
● How can I know what’s real and what’s not in a world of sophisticated algorithms?
● Will critical decisions about my health and well-being be made by machines?
From 2017, Boston Global Forum (BGF) has been among the world’s most innovative think tanks in developing strategies for AI in politics and society. Driven by its core purpose of unlocking the potential of those to advance the world, BGF has contributed many significant pioneering initiatives. Now, BGF is harnessing the combined power of generative AI and human capabilities to drive growth, innovation, and transformation through the Artificial Intelligence World Society Initiative (AIWS). Founded by Governor Michael Dukakis and Nguyen Anh Tuan in November 2017, the AIWS is a means of counteracting the unethical uses of AI by building a 7-layer model for the ‘Age of Global Enlightenment.’
AIWS: Moving Toward Responsible AI Governance
Since 2017, the AIWS initiative, spearheaded by the BGF, has been on a mission to shape responsible AI governance and foster new models of democracy. In a short period, the initiative has achieved the following:
● 2017: The AIWS has launched, setting the stage for global discourse on AI governance.
● 2018: The AIWS Leader Award was established to recognize distinguished leaders in AI for social good. At the BGF-G7 Summit, AIWS unveils the groundbreaking AIWS 7-Layer Model, a roadmap for leveraging AI to enhance democracy and individual rights.
● 2019: The AIWS-G7 Summit initiative introduces the ‘The Next Generation Democracy- AI World Society,’ envisioning a world with AI-powered transparency, inclusivity, and citizen engagement in governance. This has three components: AI-Government, AI-Citizen, and AI Government Index.
● 2020-2022: Expanding Collaboration and Addressing Challenges. A collaboration with Club de Madrid and Boston Global Forum (BGF) leads to the Policy Lab ‘Transatlantic Approaches on Digital Governance.’ This lab underscores the importance of global policies for AI management, governance and announces the social contract for the ‘AI-Age.’ BGF and United Nations co-published the book “Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment”. There is a special session at the Riga Conference 2021 about this book.
● 2023: The Riga Conference 2023 publishes BGF’s special report “How to Govern AI in an Age of Global Tension.” At the C20-G20 Summit in India in 2023, the recognition of the Social Contract for the AI Age and AI World Society highlighted the global significance of AI governance and the need for international cooperation.
● 2024-Present: The BGF conference honoring Alondra Nelson’s contributions to AI governance stands as a testament to AIWS’s unwavering pursuit of harnessing AI for the greater good and fortifying democratic principles globally and building new democracy.
Deploying Data Sovereignty – Knowledge Platform for AI
Through the AIWS initiative, the Boston Global Forum is seeking to build an AI architecture complementing, not competing with, human strengths. This means AI innovation that leverages human intellect, emotional intelligence (EQ), and cognitive Intelligence (IQ) to achieve desired outcomes.
In this AI-led era of technological advancement, it’s more important than ever for humans to tap into their empathy and lead ethically and with passion as they use AI to advance and improve society in their respective fields of work. Considering this, the Boston Global Forum has conceived “Data Sovereignty – Knowledge Platform for AI”.
As they experiment and innovate with AI, businesses must set in stone the ethical guardrails for using this technology. Generative AI, an amplified and augmented intelligence, is not an alternative to human ingenuity, the BGF believes. In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), the need for a comprehensive knowledge platform has never been more pressing. Furthermore, as AI systems continue to permeate various aspects of our lives, from healthcare and finance to transportation and entertainment, the importance of having a centralized repository of knowledge to inform decision-making processes is paramount. Recognizing this, the Boston Global Forum has conceived the Data Sovereignty – Knowledge Platform for AI. This platform serves as an essential resource, providing a foundation upon which AI applications and systems can reference, think critically, and make informed decisions.
CEO’s Guide to Generative AI Revolution
Much like the first free web browser that changed how humans worked and lived, generative AI can disrupt nearly every industry. A double-edged sword, AI promises both competitive advantage and creative destruction. Either way, a revolution in business-model innovation is coming. How should the C-suite respond? From BGF’s standpoint, the priority for CEOs isn’t to fully immerse themselves in the technology but, instead focus on how generative AI will impact their organizations and industries. They must also zero in on strategic choices they make for the company:
● What innovations become possible when every employee can access the seemingly infinite memory generative AI offers?
● How will this technology change how employees’ roles are defined and how they are managed?
● How do you deal with false or biased output generated by generative AI models?
Building Generative AI Solutions for Healthcare
The healthcare industry is committed to high-quality care for patients but for that, healthcare providers must first go through rigorous documentation tasks. Helios, a leading hospital chain in Germany, had begun working toward a comprehensive digital ambition when its team decided to explore using Generative AI to simplify lengthy documentation. BGF worked with partners to find ways to acquire patient data that doctors would consider before generating a discharge letter from the hospital information system, all of which were previously challenging to retrieve. Recognizing that patient privacy was paramount, BGF developed the proof of concept for the cardiology department in an on-the-premises environment. Based on real patient data and historic discharge letters, BGF fine-tuned two open-source large language models (LLMs) for the specific talk in several iterations, leveraging state-of-the-art data science practices. Through a detailed plan, BGF helped doctors generate discharge letters with a touch of a button-saving hours’ worth of work per day.
Artificial Intelligence: An Unchartered Territory
The emergence of generative AI is a pivotal juncture in human history. With its potential to revolutionize industries and augment human capabilities, industries should not miss the bus on AI innovation. However, responsible stewardship of AI is integral for its ethical and sustainable use.
President of European Commission Ursula von der Leyen highlighted in her speech at the Boston Global Forum Conference on December 12, 2020:
“It is such an honor to be here with you today. At the Boston Global Forum and Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation, you are at the forefront of research and debate. And you definitely work on some of the world’s most pressing issues. You drive the discussion on digital policy and how a human-centric approach on AI could look like. This is an issue whose importance simply cannot be overestimated.”
