Harnessing Artificial Intelligence's transformative power to make food systems more efficient, sustainable and inclusive

FAO Director-General QU Dongyu became one of the first signatories of an ethical resolution on Artificial Intelligence (AI) endorsed by Pope Francis, stressing the importance of minimizing this new technology’s risks while exploiting its potential benefits.

“Artificial Intelligence needs to be transparent, inclusive, socially beneficial and accountable,” Qu said, adding: “We need to ensure the human-centric approach in designing and implementing artificial intelligence today and in the future.”

The FAO Director-General joined Italy’s Minister for Technological Innovation and Digitalization, Paola Pisano, Microsoft President Brad Smith and IBM Executive Vice President John Kelly III in signing the “Rome Call for AI Ethics” in a ceremony presided by Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

The Rome Call for AI Ethics refers to the need for “a highly sustainable approach, which also includes the use of artificial intelligence in insuring sustainable food systems in the future.” And speaking during a debate that preceded the signing ceremony, the FAO Director-General noted that “from a food system transformation perspective, we look at digitalization, big data and artificial intelligence as sources of hope”.

But he also pointed to the need to bridge the divide between developed and developing countries – 6 billion people are without broadband today, 4 billion without internet, 2 billion without mobile phones and 400 million people are without a digital signal.

Additionally, he noted there are significant gaps between men and women, young and old, and rich and poor, and also a gap in promoting dialogue, creating synergies and enhancing awareness for issues specific to digital agriculture.

Original source: FAO
Published on 28 February 2020