On December 19, 2020, Governor Michael Dukakis lead the publication of the Quad Roundtable Report.
The role of the Social Contract for the AI Age in such a situation is to eliminate all negative risks and enhance all benefits such technological advancement could bring, protect democratic values, and maintain peace and security in the world.
First, it is necessary to mend not only the differences amongst the Western allies, such as different views of interests, social perceptions, and the role of the Western alliance in the United States, but also to reestablish US international leadership.
Second, the common interest of the Quad is an open Indo-Pacific region.
Third, while addressing possibilities and challenges brought about by artificial intelligence, US leadership must consider the interconnectivity of different types of interests in the Indo-Pacific region. The Quad have role to ask China respect its neighbours and do not create tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, China needs to respect democracy in Hong Kong, and the Quad have solutions to solve threats from China.
Norms, standards, and democratic values from the Social Contract for the AI Age is a fundamental for the Quad Group in maintaining world peace and security, and recognizing threats from nations and regimes that undermine these values.
Authors of the Report are Dr. Sandis Šrāders, Fellow, Baltic Defence College and Board Member, Latvian Transatlantic Organization, ProfessorNazli Choucri, MIT, the Boston Global Forum’s Board Member, Nguyen Anh Tuan, CEO of the Boston Global Forum, Ambassador P.S Raghavan, Chairman of the National Security Advisory Board of India.
The Quad Roundtable at the Riga Conference 2020 is very successful. The next Quad Roundtable will be organized on the AIWS Palace at AIWS City.
Ambassador P.S Raghavan, Chair of National Security Advisory Board, India:
I warmly welcome the initiative of the Boston Global Forum to launch discussions between representatives of the US, India, Japan and Australia on the Quad dialogue of the four countries. The Quad Roundtable highlighted the perspectives of each of the countries on the Quad, shaped by its geography, historical experiences, economic circumstances and political aspirations.
AIWS City is an online digital city that brings together the cultural, historical, creative, innovative, and artistic values of humanity. AIWS City is built on the foundation of AI technology and blockchain. AIWS City will bring together world leaders, including thinkers, political leaders, creators, innovators, and educators, to help them promote a more civilized and prosperous world, one based on fundamental human values. AIWS City will be guided by the principles of the Social Contract for the AI Age. It will be a platform to exchange ideas and promote values.
AIWS City will connect with cities that are centers of science, technology, culture, history, architecture, art, and economic vitality and that epitomize the best of civilization, including Boston, New York, Athens, Rome, Paris, Tokyo, and Saint Petersburg. It will connect with and draw upon the knowledge of the preeminent figures in these cities. It will also draw from major thinkers in top universities in the Boston area and elsewhere.
AIWS City will connect with UNESCO World Heritage scenic areas like Yellowstone and Victoria Falls; museums like the Louvre and the Hermitage; leading symphony orchestras like the Vienna Philharmonic and Boston Symphony Orchestra; AIWS Palace will connect with historic palaces such as Versailles and Windsor, and host prestigious events. Today, AIWS Palace is hosting the AI and Democratic Values Forum and the Ceremony to honor World Leader for Peace and Security Award 2020 to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
AIWS City will have pioneering initiatives in higher education in the application of AI and Blockchain. The AIWS University will be a place of lifelong learning, deep reflection, and personal growth and recognition, while providing the opportunity to study with the world’s great professors. As part of AIWS University, there will be AIWS Innovation Labs dedicated to fostering values and ideas, drawing from the world’s leading technology and cultural innovation centers.
Each resident of AIWS City citizen will have a Digital Home for storing and processing personal data, and will work with others to build the AI World Society, a society dedicated to improving the lives of all through innovative and prudent applications of AI. At the start, the leadership of AIWS City will come from the Boston Global Forum, the Michael Dukakis Institute and Mentors of AIWS Innovation Network, expanding later to thought leaders from around the world.
The technology partners for AIWS City are Google and Beowulf Blockchain. In fact, today’s conference is being conducted using Beowulf Blockchain’s Quickom technology platform.
I want to thank Beowulf for its support and for its work in constructing AIWS City.
Timing:
January 9, 2021: AIWS Palace, AIWS University will officially operate.
September 1, 2021 Digital Home will officially serve all AIWS City citizens to build their own digital homes. On this day, the houses of honor of Michael Dukakis, Vint Cerf will be opened also.
Not only creating an advanced living and working environment on the internet, AIWS City also connects and creates a modern smart urban area in NovaWorld Phan Thiet, together with the World Leadership Alliance-Club de Madrid. AIWS City contributes to The United Nations Initiative 2045, a model of the city of human being in 2045.
Michael Dukakis Institute has chosen Beowulf Blockchain (https://beowulfchain.com/), a pioneer of the decentralized cloud network for communication services, to build technical platform for AI World Society (AIWS) City, an online smart city that brings together the cultural, historical, creative, innovative, and artistic values of humanity. AIWS City will bring together world leaders, including thinkers, political leaders, creators, innovators, and educators, to help them promote a more civilized and prosperous world, one based on fundamental human values. AIWS City will be guided by the principles of the Social Contract for the AI Age. It will be a platform to exchange ideas and promote values.
AIWS City will connect with cities that are centers of science, technology, culture, history, architecture, art, and economic vitality and that epitomize the best of civilization, including Boston, New York, Athens, Rome, Paris, Tokyo, and Saint Petersburg. It will connect with and draw upon the knowledge of the preeminent figures in these cities. It will also draw from major thinkers in top universities in the Boston area and elsewhere.
“The prospect of playing a disrupting part in helping to fundamentally transform the landscape for the development of AI-based virtual smart cities is a huge motivator. I have no doubt that the technological advances at the heart of Beowulf Blockchain can help to address widespread inefficiencies and operational challenges in the implementation of AIWS City. “We are proud of the beginnings of collaboration on December 12, 2020, with the ceremony to honor European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the AIWS Palace of AIWS City,” said Dr. William H. Nguyen, CEO and Founder of Beowulf Blockchain.
Governor Michael Dukakis presented remarks honoring the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with the World Leader for Peace and Security Award 2020 at the Boston Global Forum annual conference on December 12, 2020 (birthday of BGF).
Governor Dukakis commented: “She is committed to the Transatlantic Alliance, recognizing the collective responsibility of the EU and the United States to advance global peace, security, and development.
These goals match those of the Boston Global Forum. We are also at one with President von der Leyen on the need for an international accord on the use of Artificial Intelligence, based on shared values and democratic traditions, an accord that will require sustained Transatlantic leadership if it is to be realized.”
Secretary Ash Carter and Representative Robin Kelly congratulated President von der Leyen as well.
At the panel “AI and Democratic Values”, moderated by Marc Rotenberg, Director of Center for AI and Digital Policy at Michael Dukakis Institute, panelists discussed about AI Social Contract Index 2020. Afterwards, Professor Thomas Patterson present the report of World Leadership Alliance-Club de Madrid endorsing Social Contract for the AI Age; Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan presented AIWS City, the City of AI Age, this prestigious event hosted by AIWS Palace of AIWS City. Then, Professor Nazli Choucri presented the project in 2021 of the Boston Global Forum “AI International Accord.”
Speaking to the Boston Global Forum, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a Transatlantic Agreement on Artificial Intelligence. She said, “We want to set a blueprint for regional and global standards aligned with our values: Human rights, and pluralism, inclusion and the protection of privacy.” She said such a blueprint could guide other democracies.
President Ursula von der Leyen received the 2020 World Leader For Peace and Security Award from the Boston Global Forum. In presenting the award, Governor Michael Dukakis said “President von der Leyen has been a tireless advocate for a more united Europe and a Europe that would assume a larger role in international diplomacy and security. A champion of democratic rights and institutions, she has contested the emergence in Europe of right-wing nationalism and state authoritarianism.”
Governor Dukakis also said, “We are also at one with President von der Leyen on the need for an international accord on the use of Artificial Intelligence, based on shared values and democratic traditions, an accord that will require sustained Transatlantic leadership if it is to be realized.”
President von der Leyen said, ”AI can have profound impacts on the life of the individual. AI may influence who to recruit for a certain post or whether to grant a certain pension application. For people to accept a role for AI in such decisions, they must be comprehensible. And they must respect people’s legal rights – just like any human decision-maker must.”
President von der Leyen continued, “This is why we have to be able to examine the workings of the system and to ensure human oversight. Our aim is to create an AI ecosystem of trust.”
Following President von der Leyen’s remarks, Marc Rotenberg, the director of the Center for AI and Digital Policy, presented the report “Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Values.” The landmark report provides the first comparative analysis of national AI policies and practices.
Professor Nazli Choucri, a member of the Boston Global Forum board, outlined plans for an International AI Digital Accord in 2021, aligned with the vision of President von der Leyen.
Marc Rotenberg, Director of Center for AI and Digital Policy at Michael Dukakis Institute
It is such an honour to be here with you today. At the 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. Today I would like to speak about our European perspective.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am a tech optimist! I believe that science and technology have the power to improve our lives. When I studied to become a medical doctor, I learned that technology saves lives. Artificial intelligence can help identify cancers that used to go undetected. And modern robots can help to perform high-precision surgery that used to be too risky just a few years ago.
But of course, there is another side. Some of us are deeply concerned about the role which will be left for human beings in a world run by AI. Others worry about the serious effects that algorithms can have on the health of our democracies. Who is taking the final decisions? Who is steering the flow of information? Who is deciding on rules?
The world that we see through social media platforms seems real. But it is constructed. A list of search results seems objective. But it is different for each and every one of us. Steered by algorithms. Thousands of likes and retweets create a sense of unity. While we literally live in different worlds.
Yes, algorithms can be a danger to our democracy. But they do not have to be. We have the power to protect ourselves. This is why, next week, the European Commission will present its Digital Services Act to make sure that platforms are transparent about the way algorithms work. And that they take responsibility for their systemic effects. We just cannot leave decisions, which have a huge impact on our democracies, to systems, which are a black box for us. There must be at least transparency on how the algorithm works.
AI can have profound impacts on the life of the individual. AI may influence who to recruit for a certain post or whether to grant a certain pension application. For people to accept a role for AI in such decisions, they must be comprehensible. And they must respect people’s legal rights – just like any human decision-maker must. This is why we have to be able to examine the workings of the system and to ensure human oversight. Our aim is to create an AI ecosystem of trust.
This is our European way of dealing with AI: Yes, Europe embraces innovation and entrepreneurship. And yes, we are eager to explore the full potential of AI for our industry and services. But we will never lose sight of those who are meant to benefit from these technological wonders – our citizens. What sets Europe apart from competitors like China is not the size of our tech sector or how attractive we are for venture capital. What sets Europe apart from competitors is the fact that our values come first. Human beings come first.
Dear Governor Dukakis,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am so honoured to receive this award today. For me this is also a very personal starting point for a great new beginning between the U.S. and Europe. A partnership that has been tested time and again. A partnership that today is needed more than ever, not at least in the digital world. The way we approach algorithms and AI will define the world we live in.
This is why the EU proposes to start work on a Transatlantic AI Agreement. We want to set a blueprint for regional and global standards aligned with our values: Human rights, and pluralism, inclusion and the protection of privacy. A transatlantic dialogue on the responsibility of online platforms!
Together, we could set the blueprint for other democracies facing the same challenges. To make sure that algorithms and AI are a force for good. Once again: I am delighted to be with you today!
On December 9, 2020, the World Leadership Alliance-Club de Madrid endorsed and called on world leaders to endorse the Social Contract for the AI Age. They officially published the Report
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will receive the “World Leader for Peace and Security Award” on Saturday December 12, 2020 from Governor Michael Dukakis. The award honors President von der Leyen for her efforts to rebuild ties between the United States and Europe and to promote a human-centric vision for Artificial Intelligence.
President von der Leyen will deliver remarks virtually at a conference in Boston on the role of artificial intelligence in safeguarding democratic rights sponsored by The Boston Global Forum and the Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation.
Governor Dukakis said, “For the past four years, the White House has strained to the breaking point, our ties with our European allies—relationships that have fostered peace, human rights and defended the Western world from aggression for three-quarters of a century.”
Governor Dukakis praised President von der Leyen for the proposed New Agenda for EU-US relations and for the goal of establishing global Artificial Intelligence standards based on democratic values.
President Von der Leyen said, “Artificial intelligence has a tremendous potential. Medicine, agriculture, transport, science – the areas where AI will make a huge difference are limitless. At the same time, it raises important ethical questions. A bit earlier this afternoon I mentioned digital sovereignty. That this is not only meant economically. Artificial intelligence is a prime example of digital sovereignty. It is an example of our ambition to apply European standards and values to technology deployed in Europe. Europe wants to lead the way on AI, with the individual at the centre.”
President Von der Leyen further said, “The US and the EU should work together on a common approach, based on our shared traditions and our commitment to democratic values. Developing a Transatlantic Agreement on AI is one such goal. We should also strengthen our international organizations and promote peace and security.”
Ursula von der Leyen was elected President of the European Commission in November 1, 2019. She will serve a five-year term as head of the Commission, setting strategy and priorities for EU policy. A prominent political leader, von der Leyen was the first woman to serve as Germany’s Minister of Defense, after having served in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet since 2005.
A new report on AI policy – Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Values – will be released at the December 12 conference. The report was prepared by the Center for AI and Digital Policy at the Dukakis Institute and conducted by a team of international experts.
The Boston Global Forum and The Michael Dukakis Institute presented the first World Leader Peace and Security Award in 2015 to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Other past recipients of the Peace and Security award are Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Kin-moon (2016), Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves (2017), Finnish President Sauli Niinisto (2018), Latvian President and President of World Leadership Alliance-Club de Madrid Vaira Vike-Freiberga (2019).
The Boston Global Forum and The Michael Dukakis Institution have had a leading role in promoting a Social Contract for the AI Age. The Social Contract seeks to promote uses of AI that respect human rights, dignity and democratic values and prevent AI’s harmful uses by government and private parties.
About
The Michael Dukakis Institute (MDI)‘s initiatives include AI World Society (AIWS), AI-Government, Social Contract for the AI Age, Ethics Code of Conduct for Cyber Peace and Security (ECCC), and Global Cybersecurity Day.
The Boston Global Forum (BGF) brings together world leaders, distinguished thinkers, innovators, and promising young leaders to seek peaceful solutions to the challenges of our times.
The AI World Society (AIWS) City, established in collaboration with the World Leadership Alliance – Club de Madrid and the United Nations Academic Impact, is a virtual digital city dedicated to the principle of the Social Contract for the AI Age.
CONTACTS
Further details of BGF and AIWS are available by contacting Tuan Anh Nguyen, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Boston Global Forum, and Director of The Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation: [email protected]
Editors and Reporters please contact MDI Press Secretary Dick Pirozzolo: [email protected] / +1 617 959 4613
